True To Your Heart
by KeymaJade
Summary: Lois has the perfect husband, her partner and hero, and the perfect children, even if they do get into trouble but it all gets ripped away from her in a second and she's sent back in time to Smallville in order to change the future for the better.
1. Prologue

**Title:** True To Your Heart

**Author**: Brie

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except teh things you don't recognize. I'm kind of partial to the kids at the beginning too. I wish I owned Clark Kent and if I did own Smallville it probably would have turned out something like this...

**Rating:** Eh. PG13?

**Summary:** Lois has the perfect husbannd, her partner and hero, and the perfect children, even if they do get into trouble but it all gets ripped away from her in a second and she's sent back in time to Smallville in order to change the future for the better.

btw I love reviews, am addicted to reviews, so please...review

cough review cough

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**Prologue:**

"_We've got ten minutes before the chaos ensues," he muttered into her neck. She only mumbled slightly in response before turning into his arms, making sure he understood that she wanted him to hold her closer. He understood perfectly and gently accommodated her, giving a chuckle when she tried to blow her bangs out of her eyes and failed. It was obvious what she wanted from him and after she grumbled threats he tenderly brushed the hair away. _

"_Thanks," she whispered with a tiny smirk and gave a glance towards their closed door. "Five minutes."_

"_What?"_

"_I think that we only have five minutes left of peace and quiet," she clarified. _

"_Well, we'd better make them count then," he suggested leaning in to kiss her. He could feel her smile through the kiss and couldn't help but chuckle when she muttered 'damn straight' into his mouth. She pulled him on top of her with a none too gentle tug and ran her hands slowly up his bare back finally coming to rest grasping in his hair. As his hands slowly moved under her shirt they both froze as they heard a giggle from another room followed by a squeal. They both groaned, impatient to finish what they started but both knowing it would have to wait._

"_They're spending next weekend on the farm," Lois stated matter-of-factly as she rolled out of bed._

"_Agreed," Clark confirmed pulling her into his arms for one more kiss. He pulled his hooded Met-U sweatshirt over his head with some difficulty. Luckily Lois came to his rescue with a laugh and tugs it down for him._

"_I bet Jake stole her spoon again—you know how she feels about that bunny spoon—the same way you feel about those ratty old things!" Clark exclaimed and smirked when Lois looked down at her pink bunny slippers. They weren't exactly pink anymore, not really surprising after all the years of use, and so what if one ear was missing! She turned her glare in his direction but couldn't hold it as she heard another laugh coming from the other side of the door._

"_No way, I think Tay spilled the milk again!"_

"_Double or nothing?" he asked looking mischievously into her eyes. _

"_Are you actually going to pay up?"_

"_Of course I will!"_

"_That's what you always say! You still need to pay up 20 bucks for betting me I would never work at the Planet."_

"_We didn't shake on it but if you really feel its necessary—"_

"_You haven't used your vision gizmo have you?" Lois asked suspiciously and he had the gull to look astonished._

"_Oh, don't you give me that look. You know you've done it before but I'll trust you this time. You're on, but you already owe me $32,856.13."_

"_How do you figure?"_

"_Well there's the interest on the 20 bucks."_

"_I have to pay interest?!" He exclaimed with an amazed laugh._

"_Of course you do! You don't get off easy just because you're my husband," she replied completely serious._

"_Of course not," he muttered and followed her out the door into the hallway that lead to the kitchen. He growled—yes growled—slightly when she jumped up and down in victory when they noticed their three year old daughter trying to clean up the milk on the floor with a whole roll of paper towels. Jake was just watching her make the effort._

"_Great, as if your head wasn't big enough as it was!" Clark bit out teasingly causing the kids to giggle. "And you missy, I thought I told you to let your brother pour your drinks,' he told his daughter lifting her up and holding her upside down in order to tickle her feet. _

"_Yeah, I am 5 Tay!" Jake informed her puffing out his chest with pride. He looked like a miniature Clark, with his dark hair and bright eyes, but his attitude was all Lois. _

"_You are a big boy Jakey but I think daddy was talking about Liam," Lois said with a smirk and tousled his hair. _

"_Can't we sleep in on Saturday—like everyone else?" Their oldest commented wryly from the doorway of the kitchen. Liam's eyes matched Lois' perfectly, right down to the teasing glint and Clark laughed as they both rolled said eyes when Krypto came barreling in past the seven-year-old. _

"_Krypto!" Tay exclaimed with her arms now wrapped around Clark's neck. The golden retriever puppy (the biggest puppy Lois had ever seen she reminds them constantly) barked in return. Lois glared at the pup as it ran into her legs in excitement and she sneezed. She couldn't believe they had talked her into getting that mutt. She really had no hope when Clarks asked her with his own puppy dog face along with the children and then promised to persuade her later that night. And persuade her he did, she thought with a cheeky grin._

_Clark set Taylor down and moved to clean up the mess his daughter had created. Taylor gave her full attention to the happy tongue wagging puppy and Liam sauntered in to sit down at the table. _

"_And I know you guys told Tay to wake me up if she ever needed a drink. Don't you know that that means 3 in the morning wake up calls on occasion?" He said with a scowl and it only grew as he watched his mom chuckle._

"_That was the evil plan," Lois stated slyly and slapped her husband on the rear before moving towards the direction of the cabinets. He sent a mock glare in her direction and she only shrugged in response. _

"_Too tempting," she exclaimed and took out the ingredients for breakfast. "Who wants pancakes with chocolate chips?"_

"_Are you going to make them Mommy?" Jake asked innocently not realizing that at least two other people in the room were holding their breath waiting for her answer._

"_Of course not!" she said and they all sighed in relief earning a glare. "I married your father for his cooking skills after all," she said in return but leaned over to kiss his cheek in case he decided to brood over it. He smiled wide and switched places at the counter with her. As she moved past him he gave her rear a playful slap back. She looked at him with wide eyes and jumped to sit on the counter to watch him cook._

"_Too tempting," he replied with a smug smile and made sure to pat her face with a hand covered with pancake mix. Lois laughed but refused to retaliate just yet. It would be way better when they were alone and he would spend the whole day watching his back. Instead she reached over to pull the plates from the cabinet next to her head and then reached down to pull the utensils (including bunny spoon and fork) from the drawer by her legs. _

"_Let me," she said dumping the whole bag of chocolate chips in the batter._

"_Thanks honey," Clark drawled out and began to stir them in._

"_You, drink boy, get the drinks!" She commanded Liam in her best superhero voice and laughed when he scoffed but moved to do as he was told. She looked on tenderly at her family. She had the best husband anyone could ask for, who loved her almost as much as she loved him (they argued over who loved who more quite frequently) and three children who just lit up her life even more with their joy and laughter. Her life was perfect…_

"Wake up my child," Lois heard a voice call out to her urgently. She was sore and cold and couldn't remember why she felt so alone.

"Clark," she moaned wanting to feel his arms around her but knew in her heart that it was impossible. He was gone and she let out sobs of anguish as she clutched at the snow covered ground not even recognizing the cold in her fingers now. She let the tears flow freely down her face and gulped in shaky breaths when she had no more tears left.

"I want my family back Lara!" She screamed in agony.

"I want my family back," she whispered forlornly and sat up clutching her knees to her chest.

"Please give me my family back," she begged, not ashamed to be doing so. Her face crumpled in pain and tears she thought she didn't have slowly ran down her cheeks.

"What you once knew as your life Lois Lane, is now nothing but a dream."

"Kent. Lois Lane Kent," she bit out finally regaining her anger.

"I am sorry."

"I don't believe you Lara. What am I supposed to do without Clark, without my babies?"

"You will not have to do without them Lois, if all goes according to destiny."

"Clark is my destiny."

"Exactly," Lara replied and Lois laughed bitterly.

"If you know that, then why did you take me away from him?" She said meanly and knew for a fact that it was not Lara who did so.

"I have brought you here, spared your life so that you can go back."

"Go back?"

"Yes, my child, to the past."

"Would you stop being Cryptic and get to the point!" Lois bit out annoyed with all the riddles and unwilling to put up with it.

"Kal-El, Clark, is and always will be your destiny. Your souls are too intertwined to be separated even through death."

As Lois heard that last word she flinched, knowing that the last time she had seen her family they had been trapped; trapped in a room lined with Kryptonite and with no way out. Or so she had thought. Somehow she had ended up in the Fortress of Solitude without her family. She felt for the link that connects Clark to her only to find a weak spark that had once burned so fervently and knew that it was too late to help him. Her only chance now would be to do as Lara requests.

"How come you only saved me?"

"Only one can go back, not two."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough to do this Lara."

"You under estimate yourself my child," Lara commented in her motherly tone sounding less cryptic than usual.

"What do I do?"

"You must go back to the beginning. Somewhere along the line the power between good and evil shifted. This shift was not supposed to take place. Important characters in the timeline are no longer there that should be."

"What does that mean?"

"That is all I can tell you for now."

"What?!" Lois said in disbelief not really knowing how to take this. The only thing keeping her going is the thought of fixing her future and keeping her family alive. Otherwise, she would not be taking any of Lara's bull—

"It is time."

"And when I go, this timeline will no longer exist?"

"That is correct. I am sending you back in the same timeline you have lived. It is up to you to make the right decisions."

"I don't think I can go three years without kissing Clark," she warned and if she didn't know for a fact that Lara couldn't, she could have sworn that the other woman chuckled.

"You will see your family again my child, sooner I think, if you have anything to say about it."

Lois gave a sobbing laugh but had to ask one more thing (at least). "Will that affect my future with Clark, if I love him from the beginning?"

"You always have, just as he has always loved you."

"But will our future change if we admit it sooner?" Lois asked afraid of screwing up the best thing to ever happen to her (next to having three children and winning that Kerth award anyway, but they were all connected to Clark).

"You have the opportunity to change the world for the better. Many lives will be spared because of your knowledge but your love for my son will always be evident, as his is for you. I foresee no problem with an early start." Lois sighed in relief with her answer, for once the woman had said something she wanted to hear.

"How will I contact you?"

"The Caves but now you must go."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Lois said with a deep breath and watched in awe as a bright light shot up from the ground encircling her with its illumination. She felt weightless and her back gave out forcefully causing her head to tilt back to look up. The light continued to get brighter and brighter causing her to close her eyes and yell out in anguish. She lost consciousness once again with her family on her mind and in her heart.


	2. Crusade

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Hey! Here's the next chapter I hope you like it! Leave me a review!!!!

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**Chapter 1: Crusade**

"K-E-N-T, Kent, it's a farm. Look, the last super genius I had on the phone told me to take a right on route-31 and all I'm seeing is about a billion stalks of corn. I'm going to need a little more information out of you buddy," Lois told him with obvious frustration. Lightening strikes the side of the road and her phone goes dead.

"Yup, that seems about right," she said with a sigh and tossed the phone to the passenger seat. It had taken al of her patience to pretend being lost just so she could actually get to naked Clark at the right moment. She would have been too early if she hadn't called that numbskull that told her to turn the wrong way.

She reached up to grab the cigarette from her visor and crushed it in two. At least her will power wasn't failing her. The craving for those death sticks had gotten worse with every minute. Why she had started in the first place was beyond her. To think, she had ever given her father the satisfaction of knowing he could get to her like that.

"Gum, I know I have gum in there somewhere," Lois muttered as she thought about trying to put that cigarette back together; so much for will power. As soon as her fingers grasped the Nicorette gum a flash of lightening that she should have been expecting caused her to swerve into the cornfields.

"Well, I can't remember everything," she tried to appease herself. Her plan had been to avoid the whole crashing her car into a cornfield part. Lightening lit up the sky once again and she knew that the moment she had been waiting for these last few hours had finally come.

"Clark," his name came out on a broken whisper and she had to remind herself that he wouldn't even be Clark yet but rather amnesia boy.

The clueless, naked, Clark…

She almost leaped from the car at the thought but quickly calmed her excited nerves and switched back into the confident Lois Lane.

"It's just Clark naked girl, pull yourself together," she muttered as she walked slowly towards his prone form on the ground.

"Are you okay?"

He pushed himself up slowly and finally turned to face her. She quickly averted her gaze, thinking to give him a little privacy but quickly changed her mind. Her eyes raked over his form slowly and finally she met his blank but intrigued gaze.

"I am fine."

"So I've noticed," she mumbled with a cheeky grin and let out a quick breath. "Look at his face," she reminded herself when she felt her gaze wavering.

"Why don't we head to my car, I've got a blanket you can use to cover up while I take you to the hospital—"

She held up a hand to halt any comment he even thought of making. "—and don't even start with the 'I am fine' bit. You just got hit with lightening, you're stark naked, and we just need to get to the hospital."

She left no room for argument and turned around expecting him to follow her.

"Wait?"

She quickly turned to face him, giving him one last look (and let's face it, who wouldn't?) before lifting her eyebrows waiting for him to continue.

"Who are you?"

She felt the pain go straight to her heart. It really was the beginning. She had allowed herself to forget for a few moments.

"Lois. Lois Lane."

After thrusting the bright red blanket at him and loading him in her car she decided that it would be imperative making this stop at the hospital. If she remembered correctly, they wouldn't even get to see a doctor and so Clark would be safe as soon as Martha shows up. She had to leave him in the care of Martha because she's sure that the older woman must have done something to bring Clark back and get rid of blank boy. The last thing Lois wanted to do was jeopardize Mr. Kent's life and she had a feeling that Martha had to do this on her own. Not that she wanted to let Clark Kent out of her sight anytime in the near future.

"I knew I should have asked more questions about what really happened back then—now--," She winced slightly trying to set her mind straight as she stepped out of the elevator.

"What?" He asked from inside said elevator as the doors began to close. Lois laughed a little but pulled him out to join her.

"Try and keep up, will yah?"

"I will try," he informed her never once taking his eyes from her face. She smirked and gave his cheek a quick pat before heading over to the orderly leaving Clark bewildered.

"Look, I got a guy over here that needs immediate attention."

"First you need to fill out this form with his information and give proof of insurance."

Lois looks back at Clark and rolls her eyes as he wanders further into the lobby.

"Slight problem; I found him on the side of the road, he's got amnesia, doesn't remember who he is so I am turning him over to you," she said with a smile and at his disbelieving look she quickly reassured, "you can keep the blanket."

As she tried to make her quick get away she grimaced slightly when the annoying orderly appeared in front of her.

"Look, I did the Good Samaritan thing and brought him here," Lois tried to explain not even knowing why she was bothering. She had to waste forty-five minutes before Martha discovers him.

"It's hospital policy. You have to stay with him until we can get an I.D. and you also have to give a statement to a detective."

"You're as annoying as I remember," she said without thinking and was thankfully saved by an old lady's gasp of pleasure, apparently this Clark liked being naked. She just couldn't get him to keep that blanket on. Not that she was complaining.

"I think you might want to get him some clothes first," she told the orderly with a smile in Clark's direction and shoved the clipboard back into his hands not really willing to fill out anything.

He gives a sarcastic look but seems more cooperative in getting them a room to wait in.

He's still staring, she thought as she looked through her purse for something, anything to keep her occupied. He was now wearing scrubs, which was a slight improvement but she still thought he looked sexy as hell. Lois glanced up at him trying to think of something to say and then changed her mind and glanced down again. Clark stood up from his sitting position on the hospital bed and started to walk towards the door.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going? We need to stay here."

"I'm not supposed to be here," he told her simply and she held up her hands to stop him from moving any further.

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us," she muttered and then sighed and pushed him back over to sit on the bed. He surprisingly went pretty easily and reverted back to just staring at her.

"Stay. Good. I'm here in town investigating my cousin's murder, Chloe Sullivan, ever heard of her?"

He just looked at her blankly, which she had expected but she couldn't think about anything but kissing him when he looked at her and needed to take her mind off it somehow.

"Of course you haven't."

She moves quickly to her bag and pulls out a piece of gum. He looks at it curiously.

"Nicorette," she explained and moved to look out the window before turning to face him again full of energy that she was having trouble dealing with.

"I've given up smoking. These are the only things that get me through the day. I started when I was 15. It was my father's fault. He said if he ever caught me smoking he'd kill me, so in a fit of teenage rebellion, I started, and I couldn't stop. Now I have a gum addiction. I also have a chocolate addiction but that's really another story in itself and has nothing to do with Nicorette. I make a great rum cake—err well, edible (for the most part) at least."

"You talk a lot."

"Yeah, well I'm not comfortable with uncomfortable silences and you're not exactly keeping up your end of the conversation. It's been almost forty-five minutes; you'd think they'd have sent someone to see us already! What's that say about Small town medicine?"

Clark stands up once again and heads for the door. She stops him with a hand to his firm chest before he can exit.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She had a feeling of what was to come and couldn't stop the giddy flutter in her belly.

"I'm leaving."

"Yeah well, you're going to have to get through me first," she informed him with a smile and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Clark seemed to contemplate his options quickly before grasping her arms gently, lifted her and placed her to the side with no effort what-so-ever. Lois just shook her head slightly and smiled. He always seemed to amaze her and always would.

"Hey, wait!" She called out catching up to him just as she heard Martha's voice call out frantically.

"Oh, it is you! Oh God, I thought I'd lost you forever!" The older exclaimed pulling him into an embrace. I know just how you feel; Lois thought sadly wishing she could show the same affection to both of them.

"Who are you?"

"It's me, Mom."

Lois had to give her credit; she seemed slightly startled but seemed to take it in stride as well. Lois decided to start explaining.

"Don't take it personally, he doesn't even remember his own name," and as if remembering that Martha didn't know her she quickly grasped her hand in an excited handshake. "Lois Lane. I found him lying in a ditch near route 31."

"Thank you for helping him."

"I guess I'm a sucker for stray dogs and naked guys."

Martha looks up at her confused but Lois just shrugged with a smile not really willing to make up any excuse for the truth.

"Come on Sweetheart, let's get you home," Martha said giving Lois a funny look but Clark didn't budge. Its funny how he seemed to willing to follow me everywhere, Lois thought with a tender smile.

"I'm waiting for a sigh," Clark said simply.

"Um…Lois? I'm so grateful but this is a family matter."

She wasn't completely successful in hiding the main in her eyes at that statement, of this she was sure for Martha's eyes softened slightly. Before she had a chance to say anything Lois began to back away holding up her hands in a surrendering motion.

"I get it. This is me backing away. See yah, Smallville," she couldn't resist adding over her shoulder with a smile. He turned to look at her blankly and Lois couldn't help but be reminded of little Tay's face when she would get in trouble and not really know why. Lois couldn't fight the tears as her eyes began to well but forced herself to continue walking until she turned the corner. She slumped against the wall and let out a shuddering breath before straightening and coming face-to-face with the orderly.

"Look, I passed amnesia boy off to his Mother," Lois explained quickly pointing into the direction of the elevator in which they were leaving.

"That's Martha Kent. She's here all the time."

Lois only shrugged and began to walk away before realizing that the only place she had to sleep was her car. Not really liking that option she ran to catch the elevator Martha was on but it shut deliberately. Lois groaned, already feeling her neck grow sore just thinking about trying to stretch out in the backseat but was quickly resigned to her fate. It was going to be a long night of that she was sure, long enough to rival this long day.

As she expected her back and neck were both sore the following morning but she was determined to barge in on Mrs. Kent at the farm. At least there she knew she could get some good coffee and maybe even a slice of buy if she played her cards right. Just thinking about Martha's pies made her stomach grumble. The perfect yellow farm house came into view and she smiled with relief that at least that was the same.

Her stomach growled again and Lois rolled her eyes as she approached the screen door leading into the kitchen. Her stomach seemed to recognize it and as she heard Martha finish her phone call she couldn't fight the nerves that soon accompanied hunger in her belly.

"Hey!" She managed to get out trying not to sound nervous but knew it was a lost cause when she began to ramble. This woman was one of the most important people in her life—was, at least—and she wanted that comfort back.

"I tried calling earlier, but I kept getting a busy signal. I don't know how you survive without call waiting."

Martha looks unsure of how to respond and Lois has to fight off a laugh.

"Is Clark here?"

"He's upstairs," she said without thinking and Lois moved in the direction of said stairs knowing that Martha wouldn't let her go up.

"Great!"

"Sleeping—he's sleeping," Martha rushed out causing Lois to halt her ascent. Lois turned around and pursed her lips thinking of something to say.

"Is that fresh coffee? I have been waiting for a cup all day. I can't believe this is the town that Starbucks forgot."

She had spotted the coffee pot, half full, almost instantly but now she made a beeline for it, immediately pouring herself a cup without asking. She can tell Martha is surprised by her forwardness but can't help but sigh blissfully as she takes a sip.

"I heard the only decent coffee shop in town closed down. The Falcon or something?"

Martha follows her as she makes her way around the kitchen and Lois glances down at the counter noticing the pie but forces herself to be strong and fight against the urge to just eat the entire thing.

"Uh, Lois—I appreciate everything you did for Clark, and I don't mean to be rude but—"

Lois finally takes a seat, trying to calm down and looks directly into Martha's eyes. "Look, I didn't come here fishing for thanks." Just pie, she couldn't help but think and barely managed to hold back her smile. This was supposed to be serious. She was supposed to think that Chloe was dead. "I think Clark might know something about my cousin Chloe's death."

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

Lois could detect the sincerity in that simple statement and felt guilty, so she quickly stood to get more coffee before continuing.

"Yeah, were she and Clark ever an item?"

"Oh, I think for a minute, but—"

"It's funny; I never thought she'd fall for the farm boy type."

"Trust me that can happen to the best of us."

"Not me. Give me a nerd with glasses any day of the week," Lois said matter-of-factly smiling at her own joke. Ok, so maybe she loves the Farm boy too but she couldn't help it if she thought the geek look on Clark was sexy.

"Clark has many sides," Martha said not realizing how close she had come to exactly what Lois was thinking about.

"Yeah, I've seen several of them already. Speaking of Clark, do you think he'll be up any time soon?"

"I-I doubt it."

Clark isn't even here, she knew the moment she walked through the doors but it had been nice talking to Martha. She wanted to delay her departure even longer and so she found her self talking about Chloe's fake death once again.

"Right now, he is my only chance to get justice for Chloe. The FBI inquest closed last week. They've ruled the explosion an accident. I mean, how many gas leaks do you know of in safe houses?"

Martha looks stunned.

"And in two weeks, Lionel Luthor is going to walk free. And Chloe's death... it will have been for nothing."

"I'll have Clark call you if he remembers anything."

"Thank you Mrs. Kent. Now I really need to ask you something very important."

"What is it Lois?"

Lois glanced at the counter with the pie resting on top and then back at Martha who was looking at her curiously before glancing once more at the pie. Would it be so very rude if she asked for a slice? Not that she had any problem with just taking what she wanted but this was Martha Kent's pies and that's a whole lot different than just taking some coffee. She must have taken too long dwelling on making the right decision for when she looked back at Clark's Mom, she was actually smiling highly amused.

"You want to take a piece for the road?" She asked nicely and Lois all but jumped at the suggestion causing a genuine laugh to bubble up from Martha's throat.

"Thank you so much!" Lois exclaimed as she snatched up the piece of pie like it was a million dollars and headed for the door in case Martha changed her mind.

"I take it I'll be seeing you?" Martha asked kindly with a sparkle in her eye and Lois just smiled as she left. It was time to eat and then it was time to pay a visit to Lionel Luthor. She had a feeling he had something to do with that shift of good and evil that Lara had been talking about, so it would be wise to stick with having the same conversations with him as she had in the past for now.

"You're not Martha Kent," Lionel says looking at Lois through his mirror, not even bothering to turn around.

"Would you have seen me if they said it was Lois Lane?"

"Lois Lane. Yes. You're Chloe Sullivan's cousin." Lionel says coming to meet her at the bars. Lois comes closer to the cage and puts her hands on the metal, not intimidated in the slightest. She could see that he recognizes that instantly and knows that he'll try to find a way to put her ill at ease.

"What a loss," he began and then looked down at her fingers and shook his head. "You bite your nails. Bad girl. But getting through the door doesn't mean I'll talk to you. Guard?"

Lionel walks back to his bed where he sits down, puts on his glasses, and picks up a book.

"I don't believe that safe house explosion was an accident."

"Of course you don't. You believe I'm responsible."

"No. A stunt like that is... thuggish and obvious. It smacks of desperation. All the things you aren't."

Lionel takes off his glasses and Lois can see that he's intrigued by her analysis. She didn't win those two Kerth awards for nothing after all.

"All right, Miss Lane, you have my attention. What's your theory?"

"I don't have one," she says mainly just to throw him off.

"Then why are you here?"

I'm here because I wanted to look into the face of the son of a bitch who's responsible for my cousin's death. You may not have blown her up, but you're the reason she's gone."

"Before you begin to anoint her for sainthood, let's get some of the facts straight, all right? The simple truth is I made her an offer. She took it. I kept my end of the bargain. She didn't. She's dead as a result of her own actions. I had nothing to do with it. And the next time you come at me with accusations, try to have a little more than righteous indignation.

Lionel puts his glasses back on and picks up his book. He looks at Lois who is still watching him.

"Zoo hours are over, Miss Lane. Good day."

"You know..." she starts as she turns toward the door, and then stops before she gets there and turns back. "It must kill you that somebody has given you this gift. And you don't know who, and you don't know why, but without Chloe's testimony, you're probably going to walk out of here a free man." She knocks on the door to signal to the guard that she wants out.

"Or are you being set up?" With that last statement she allows a smirk to show through. It would make him think and he would dwell on it for days to come until he finds out that Chloe didn't die. She was through with him for the moment, she had a feeling that he would prove to play a bigger role later on.

Right now she had to go to the graveyard to meet with the man of her dreams. Had to be annoying—but cute—but first just annoying in order to make Clark Kent flustered. He's so damn cute when he's flustered.

"Hey faker," Lois greeted Chloe's gravestone and kneeled down next to it. "I can't tell you how glad I am, again, that you didn't really die. I still can't believe you didn't let me know you were alive but that's not really important. I'm actually really grateful, for it brought me to Smallville, to Clark. I have a few minutes to talk before he shows up so I just have to tell someone Chlo. I miss my husband and my children. I miss being able to hug Martha and kiss Clark whenever the hell I want," Lois finished wiping a lone tear from her cheek.

"I just had to let that out," she repeated and looked back to see if Clark was around yet.

"I'm sorry I didn't go to your funeral. I promise I'll make the next one," Lois says with a laugh and turns serious once again. "I hate funerals. Dad says that everyone does, but it's a way of paying tribute to a life well-led."

She fights to hold back her tears, thinking about Clark once again and all she has to hope to regain then laughs at her own thoughts sadly.

"I hate myself for being weak. I promise I'll find out who did this to you, even if I have to do it alone.

"You're not alone," Clark says from behind her and she can't help but feel smug about how perfect her timing had been. She turns around, annoyed, to see Clark holding a bunch of flowers.

"A fact you could've shared before you were breathing down my neck. I'm more alone than you know," she finished softly.

"I'm sorry, Lois, I didn't know you were out here."

Lois takes another deep breath and stands up, facing Clark. She looks at his apparel.

"I'm glad to see we've moved beyond the "clothing optional" stage of our relationship but I do have to say that I am a little disappointed. I'm surprised you even remember who I am."

"Chloe's cousin. Nicorette and chocolate addiction, can't stand uncomfortable silences, apparently only knows how bake a barely edible rum cake."

"I guess this means your synapses are all firing again and my rum cake could win an award!" She didn't mention that the award would probably be most colorful but didn't see the reason he should know that.

"Look, I can't explain my actions over the past few days. But Chloe was my best friend. You're not the only one who misses her," he looks down at the tombstone sadly and Lois wanted to hug and kiss him right then and there. She just wants to tell him to use that vision gizmo to find out that Choe's alive already!

"I'm just the only one doing something about it unless you want to volunteer your services?"

"I get the feeling you like to do things yourself. Why would you want my help?"

"My dad raised me to be independent and self-sufficient."

"That would be one way to describe you."

"You know, the only thing I like about you at the moment is your mom. You can't possibly be as weird as I think you are with a mom that cool, who can make a pie that tastes like heaven.

"My mom let you have a piece of pie?" He asked a little surprised but already he seemed to learn not to underestimate Lois Lane."

"I got some coffee out of her too," Lois teases.

"Look, why don't you let me help you find out who did this to Chloe? Come on, you can stay at our house while you're in town," he says and hurries to finish when he sees her hesitate. "It beats living out of your car."

"Thanks. But you should know I don't pay attention to curfews and I never make my bed. I'll give you some time alone," she offers softly with a smile and gently runs her hand up his arm before turning to leave. Lois walks away and with a sigh, Clark turns to the tombstone.

He stares at it for a moment, and then his eyes move to the grass in front of the tombstone. A thought occurs to him, and he hesitates. Lois slows down her gait, knowing what was to come. Why he decided he needed to x-ray her tomb is beyond her but at least it worked out in the end.

"Lois!"

Lois turns around waiting for him to tell her they could finally get a move on with this investigation.

"Chloe's still alive."


	3. Gone

**Chapter 2: Gone**

They had decided to make their way to Chloe's safe house. Lois had thought about talking him out of it. There really was no point in actually going to the safe house, except of course to get attacked by special op military officers and get chased by a helicopter. She had made sure to wear her good strong boots just for the occasion.

After years of being with Clark Kent, as a friend, a boyfriend, lover, partner and husband, Lois had learned fairly quickly that she had to lengthen her stride in order to keep up with his quick pace. She felt bad for Chloe and Lana, who are at least half a foot shorter than she is.

"I don't know what you plan on finding here," Lois muttered as they finished the long hike up the hill.

"None of this would've happened if I had been there."

"Okay, Commando. You amaze me. Half the time, you're all meek "Yes, Ma" and "Yes, Pa", and the other half, you are the most overconfident guy I've ever met."

"It doesn't happen to you much, does it? Not being able to peg someone right away?"

"Oh, I've got you pegged just fine. You can't save everyone Clark," she told him in all seriousness. He stopped and looked down at her surprised.

"I know that."

"I don't think you do, and you really need to get it through that thick skull of yours," she ordered him with a poke to his chest before turning away to look at the destruction that was once a safe house.

"My God, Chloe," she said in a whisper. She had forgotten how bad it had been, how lost she had felt thinking her cousin dead.

Clark lifts up the police tape to enter the site, and Lois follows. They walk slowly through the rubble of the house.

"What exactly do you expect to find here?"

"I don't know, but the FBI sealed the case, even the autopsy reports. Doesn't that sound a little odd?"

Lois looks around at the wreckage becoming more and more uneasy. She had to remind herself that Chloe was alive and well, and the thought gave her momentary relief because she was seriously contemplating killing the girl when they found her! She could remember exactly how she had felt, she knew exactly what Clark was feeling, thinking she was gone or at least hurt somewhere and now she was going to have to try and convince Clark that maybe Chloe hadn't made it out alive.

"Remind me if I'm ever a witness not to put my life in the hands of the FBI."

"Well, maybe she got out before the explosion."

"They said she walked inside, Clark. I don't know how anyone could survive this. Look, you may be in denial thinking Chloe's alive, but I'm gonna find out who did this to her."

Thunder rumbles softly in the distance.

"Let's get out of here, Clark. This place gives me the creeps," Lois stated glancing up at the sky waiting. Right on cue a Helicopter flew into view and two men dressed in black combat suits jump out of either side of the helicopter and lower themselves to the ground, suspended by cables. They both wear helmets and have large guns strapped to their backs.

"Run!" Clark yelled the command at her and for a moment she thought to refuse. Even knowing he had super powers she was hesitant to leave. Then again, if she didn't run like he said he would be forced to use said powers in front of her and she didn't think he was quite ready for that. So for once she did as she was told and dashes away from the safe house leaving Clark to deal with the two combat guys.

This left her with that helicopter once again unfortunately and as she did a tumble in order to change direction as it did a flyby she grumbled about the pointless trip to the safe house. She gets to a dirt road to the side of the cornfield only to find that the helicopter is already there waiting for her now only several feet above the ground. There is a man holding onto the door of the helicopter and he immediately jumps to the ground and rushes toward Lois not really expecting her to actually fight back. Fight back she did eventually throwing him to the ground with the skill and agility of a trained professional.

"Lois," Clark calls out from behind her and she smirks in his direction, exhilarated from the fight.

"Well don't just stand there, come on!" She ordered with a little laugh and grasped his hand in hers to pull him into a run. If Clark noticed that she didn't let go right away he didn't mention it and Lois found that oddly comforting.

Lois calmly stepped into the occupied bathroom drying her hair with a towel. He had been taking forever in the shower and it was driving her insane just waiting for him to finish.

"Nothing like a little North by Northwest action to get the blood pumping, huh?" She asked coyly and paused listening intently as if she could hear the exact moment he realized she was in the bathroom as well. She smiled as she watched him check her out in the mirror through the shower curtains before quickly closing them.

"We usually take turns in the bathroom," he explained, embarrassment in his voice and Lois almost scoffed, like he had anything to be embarrassed about.

"We don't," she answered being deliberately vague. She smiled softly not really caring if he could guess at her implications. He could either take her statement two ways. The first being that her family doesn't mind sharing close quarters or the truth, that she and Clark would share a bathroom whenever they got the chance. She doubted that the second would even cross his mind and so she rolled her eyes as he turned the water off but then smile appreciatively as he came out only wearing a towel wrapped around his waist. She had planned for exactly this to happen.

"That's my shirt!" That was all he managed to say as she stepped even closer. It was also her favorite shirt, but she couldn't really explain that to him and the last thing she needed was for him to hold that she actually thought plaid was comfortable over her head. She strongly felt that she would continue down the path of trying to wean him away from the material—except for this shirt. He had reluctantly given it to her years ago when he when he realized she had basically taken it over anyway.

"Do you want it back?" She asked coyly and then laughed at the expression on his face. "Relax Clark, I'm only kidding," she reassured him with a soft pat to his chest. It was like second nature for her to do so but she wasn't expecting the surprise and intensity in his bright eyes. Lois managed to clear her throat and turn away quickly grabbing at the brush on the counter to give her hands something to do.

"I can't quite figure you out,' he told her softly in a voice she recognized immediately and forced herself to swallow. As she caught his gaze in the reflection he smiled that soft, tender, Clark Kent smile and as Lois' heart almost leapt out of her chest she could have kicked herself.

Who would have thought that her nervous quirkiness and babbling would be what first caught Smallville's eye. No matter how much she wanted him, it was far too soon to let him know it. Now, that didn't mean she was going to let anyone else have him—ever, she thought with a fierceness that surprised her but shouldn't have—but she just needed to be sure that they got together for the right reasons. She needed to be sure that he loves her as completely as she loves him. It would be too painful otherwise.

"Maybe I don't want to be figured out?" She offered with a confident smile and he just shook his head.

"There's something about you, Lois Lane, something I feel I should see but can't quite yet. You're important, I know that for a fact," he told her honestly and she couldn't really understand what he meant. She made a move for the door, not liking that she didn't remember Clark ever acting this way with her when they first met. Was the timeline already changing? Could he feel their connection? It was too much too soon and as she thrust the door open without thinking she barely managed to hold in a groan of disbelief.

There, outside the door, stood Martha Kent with a handful of fresh towels and a bright smile; a bright smile that quickly shaped the letter O and widened eyes.

"Hi Mrs. Kent," Lois managed to squeak out after a moment of silence. Her cheeks were rosy in embarrassment and she couldn't help but grumble that it was supposed to be Clark who was mortified. Lois shot a glare in his direction and he only just smiled into her eyes. That was new too.

Looking back hesitantly at Martha she wondered what the older woman was thinking, probably the worst of her, and she didn't want that. Mr. Kent was going to freak, well in all honesty he would probably find it amusing—after the lecture. While that had been pretty amusing the first time around, she found herself wanting to get on the Kent's good side as soon as possible.

"I was just grabbing a brush," Lois exclaimed holding out the evidence in her left hand. Martha's eyes couldn't hide her mirth and she only raised a brow in response.

"We were just taking a shower," she continued quickly and grimaced slightly when she repeated what she just said in her head.

"Showers, we took separate showers Mom," Clark finally spoke up coming to her rescue. She could have kissed him!

"Right!" Lois agreed with a smile. "Clark invited me to stay here, if that's ok?" Lois pushed on regaining her confidence as soon as Clark moved to her side.

"And how long will you want to stay Lois?" Martha asked kindly and hid a smile as she noticed how uncomfortable Clark was standing around in just his towel.

Forever, Lois wanted to say but knew that she couldn't and so instead she said the first thing that came to mind.

"Why don't we let Clark get dressed and then I'll be able to focus and answer your questions more fully."

Martha couldn't stop the laugh this time and Clark smiled a bit smugly. Lois muttered about stupid, sexy, farm boys and her habit to babble as she rushed passed them intending to put on some pants and maybe stand in front of the freezer a while to get rid of her flush.

She had gone into town earlier in order to escape the lecture from Mr. Kent, not really enthused about getting berated for far less than she wanted from Clark, the love of her life. While out she decided that it might be a good idea to buy a journal in order to focus some of her thoughts. She also was wise enough to purchase a lead lined lock box and was currently decorating it in the kitchen. She was happily full from dinner. Martha Kent's cooking was always wonderful no matter what.

"Stay away or die," Lois read aloud with a satisfied smile as she ran her fingers along the lettering. It was perfect, straight to the point. Smallville better respect her privacy or he was going to be in for quite a shocker and then she might just have to…make him breakfast or something. That would be punishment enough. It's not like she was planning on writing all the details in her new journal she just had to 'talk' to someone or go crazy.

"Lois, we're going to start a movie, do you want to watch with us?" Martha called out from the living room. She was probably terrified with the thought of leaving Lois alone in the kitchen for too long. With a smirk at the thought, Lois called out her agreement and walked into the living room plopping herself down on the couch beside Clark. She caught his pleased smile out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but feel satisfied.

"I can't believe I'm doing this again," Lois grunted while heaving another shovel full of dirt out of the grave. She paused, wiping the sweat from her forehead and then went back to digging.

"The things I do for you Chlo—I mean, digging up a grave, come on. This would be a lot easier if you had just told me what was going on in the first place," Lois muttered with a frown and then sent a glare to the tombstone and Chloe's name as she finally reached coffin. She quickly straddled it, and after brushing the rest of the dirt away, gave it a tug to open.

Empty again…

"Thank God," she breathed out not realizing how nervous she was that for some reason Chloe was really gone this time. Clark was acting different already, so why couldn't that mean that other things would change soon too? Not this, though.

She had made her escape from the Kent household early morning in order to prove that her cousin was alive. Only after pausing to stare at Clark's sleeping form for a few moments, she had been on her way. Now it was time to meet blade arm guy…

"Where's Chloe Sullivan?" A voice called out from a distance.

"Who the hell are you," Lois called back cattily as she hoisted herself out of the grave and reached over to grab her pepper spray. He walks casually over to her and Lois doesn't get the time once again to spray him with the pepper spray as he knocks her to the ground.

"I get it, no time for chit chat," Lois snapped and kicked out her leg to bring him down. As soon as he hit the ground he made a move to stand but was hit by the shovel and pepper spray one after the other.

"Are you okay?" Lana asked helping Lois to her feet. They both look to where the man should be and he was gone.

"Where the hell did he go? Medieval psychopath," Lois said with a slight snarl. Lana nodded in agreement and looked to Chloe's grave.

"I guess he'd have to be in order to dig up a grave in the middle of the day," Lana commented offhandedly but with disgust. Lois grimaced slightly and turned to face her.

"Actually that was me," Lois told her and as Lana looked at her with confusion she rushed to explain. "It's my cousin's grave. Lois Lane," she offers her dirty hand for Lana to shake and without much hesitation, she does. Catching Lana's sad glance back towards the grave Lois decided to explain.

"I didn't make it to the funeral either."

"I feel so guilty. I was in Paris, with a guy and I didn't even know one of my best friends was gone."

"I'm sure she'll forgive you when she sees you," Lois says wryly and goes to pick up her bag. Lana looks on in even more confusion.

"Chloe's alive," Lois reassured. "Think you can give me a lift back to the Kent farm?"

"Kent?" Lana asked with surprise and Lois tried to hold back a glare. She succeeded, just barely, but didn't want Lana to get any ideas about Clark. Not that she really does at this time but as far as Lois was concerned, her farm boy was off limits to everyone else but Lois Lane.

"Yup, I'm staying there while investigating Chloe's…well, not death now, but disappearance," Lois told her with a smile and got in the car leaving Lana where she stood. "You should really lock your car up," Lois supplied helpfully and Lana shot her an exasperated smile.

"So tell me about this guy in Paris…" Lois began waggling her eyebrows. Lana laughed and she talked and talked and Lois couldn't help but slightly regret her question. It's not that she didn't want to know about Lana's little adventure in Paris, but waking up early to dig up a grave, plus the actual digging really took a lot out of a girl. Before she realized it, they were pulling up to the Kent farm and her gaze was riveted to Clark's form as he tinkered with the always on the fritz tractor.

Lana was the first one out of the car and Lois couldn't help but stay back to watch the interaction a bit first. Clark stood and with surprise in his eyes walked over to her.

"Lana, you're back," he said it so simply that Lois rolled her eyes. Lana smiled a bit awkwardly and greeted him. Lois laughed a little at her own insecurities and exited the car to walk over to them. She happily smiled when Clark looked over to her in happy surprise.

"Lois! I thought you had left," Clark told her, shoving his hands into his pockets and moving to stand by her. Lois shot a glance in Lana's direction and was amazed to see amusement.

"You can't get rid of me that easily Smallville," Lois told him with a smile and he mock glared at her use of nickname. Oh, he liked it and she knew that for a fact. He had let it slip in a weak moment once and she never let him forget it.

"How did you two—"Clark begins curious only to have Lana interrupt him.

"We just met. I, uh, stopped by the cemetery to pay my respects to Chloe."

"I think you're forgetting about the part where you saved my life. Some Ginsu boy came after us at Chloe's grave. He knocked me down and while I distracted him with an amazing kick to his legs, Lana here hit him with a shovel," Lois informed him with a smile.

"Look, Clark, if you really think that Chloe's alive, I want to help find her."

"Uh, Lana... Look, I don't want to get your hopes up, but we don't know anything for sure."

"Okay."

"Except for the fact that her coffin is empty," Lois supplied averting her glance, knowing what question would soon follow.

"And how do you know that?" Clark asked a bit amused as she kept looking away from him.

"I sort of—dug it up."

"Dug it up—her coffin?" Clark asked incredulously.

"Well of course! You said you thought she wasn't down there and so I trusted you that she wouldn't be."

"Thanks but…you dug up a—"

"Cool it Smallville! I was desperate ok; I just want my cousin back."

"I understand Lois," he told her softly with a hand to her arm in comfort than glanced over at Lana who was watching the interaction with interest.

"You're back from Paris. You must've found what you were looking for."

"I'll say! Who wouldn't want a hot summer fling in the most romantic city on Earth?"

Lana glances at Lois then at Clark, embarrassed. Clark looks at Lana questioningly.

"I was going to tell you."

"It's okay."

Lois looks at them both, watching intently for some sign that she had gotten to Clark already. That he wouldn't be strung up on Lana. That he would realize sooner rather than later that what he had felt for her all along was a boyhood crush. That being with her was a way to be normal; a way to finally fit it and not be the outcast. What he hadn't realized was that he had other people, like Chloe, who would always be his friend and that was what he really needed. When she saw Clark look once again in her direction she felt a small flicker of hope but couldn't pass over the chance to make them squirm.

"Really? You two?"

"No!" Clark rushed to assure her and Lois lifted a brow and sent him a small but confused smile. She couldn't remember him acting like that before.

"We never..."

"Not really," Lana quickly agreed.

"…had a thing."

"It's complicated."

"A complicated thing. Never mind," Lois said waving a hand to dismiss it. She really didn't want to talk about it.

"Well, um, I'm gonna go," Lana said when she noticed Clark shoot Lois another look. Lois hadn't noticed his look but she looked at Lana and realized at once that she was thinking about Jason. Don't worry, he'll move here and then go crazy but I'm sure we could find you a nice boy, Lois wanted to reassure her. At her own thoughts she gave a slight laugh and Lana looked up at her confused.

"I'm really tired," Lois explained with a smile and Lana easily returned. Yes, they could be friends as long as she doesn't get any ideas about Clark, Lois thought possessively as Lana made her way to her car and with a wave in their direction was gone.

Clark looks at Lois curiously when he notices a mischievous glint in her eye he hadn't seen yet. She just shrugged and pulled him to follow her to the farm. He didn't glance back once.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Right before dinner Lois follows Clark up the stairs to the upper level. They really needed to talk about Chloe because she really needed to talk to Chloe and in order for her to do so they needed to find her. Clark would be rather suspicious if she just told him where she was staying so she had to actually investigate. It was a little weird looking into things you already knew.

"Listen, I really think we're onto something here. I did my research, and it turns out LuthorCorp paid for Chloe's funeral. Why would they do that? It doesn't make any sense."

Clark doesn't respond. They continue to climb the stairs.

"I guess the real question to ask would be why would somebody bury an empty casket for nothing? Right, Clark?"

They get to the top of the stairs, and Clark remains silent, lost in his own thoughts.

"Clark?

Clark turns to Lois, looking at her blankly. Lois pushes away the frustration and really wishes she wasn't wrong in thinking that maybe Lana wouldn't be that big of an issue this time around.

"Wow, she didn't take any prisoners, did she?"

Lois goes to the couch and sits down, pulling her laptop out of her bag and opening it. Clark moves to sit next to her, determined to set things, what he was feeling, straight in Lois' eyes.

"I just don't understand how you could feel like you know someone so completely, like you know everything about them, and then just all of a sudden...

"You don't even know what continent they're on."

"Do you always have to finish people's sentences?"

"Just yours," she tells him honestly with a smile he can't help but return.

"I was hurt by the fact that we don't seem to be friends anymore. I think I understand now, that what we had thought we felt for each other wasn't anything remotely close to love."

"And how did you figure that out?"

"Because I've only known you one day and I already feel like I can tell you anything," he said cryptically. Lois didn't think he was in love with her already but she did realize that he seemed to be two years ahead emotionally. He had caught on exactly to the true depths of his feelings, or lack there of, for Lana and she hadn't even kissed him yet.

Clark lowers his eyes, almost embarrassed by his own admission. Before they can say anymore, a whirring of a helicopter is heard outside the loft. A blinding searchlight shines in through the window and the wind from the propeller sends debris flying into the loft. Clark runs to the window to see what is going on.

"Come on! We gotta go!" Lois exclaims grabbing his arm to pull him away.

They run to the stairs, but just as they get there, Sam the general is walking up the stairs toward them. He stares at Clark coldly. Then he turns his eyes to Lois.

"Hi, Daddy," Lois greets unafraid and Clark jerks his head towards her surprised. Lois smiles at him and shrugs.

Sam and Lois walk out of the loft together leaving Clark to go and explain to his parents why there was a helicopter flying around the farm and that Lois was related to a general.

"I thought we had an understanding. You were to stay away from that crime scene."

"And you were supposed to be at the Pentagon," Lois states matter-of-factly not intimidated in the slightest.

"Ha! They sent me out to Fort Ryan to oversee some maneuvers."

"To keep an eye on me is that it, Boss?"

"Drop it, Lo."

"Why? I'm obviously onto something here. You wouldn't be calling out the birds if I was late for dinner."

Lois walks toward the house, and Sam follows her. Sam and Lois enter the kitchen and notice all three Kents seemed to be expecting them.

"This is some place you got here Mr. and Mrs. Kent. And again I'd like to thank you for keeping an eye on my little Lo."

Martha smiles as Sam addresses Jonathan, holding up a cigar.

"Can I offer you a Chavelo? Hand rolled with some of the finest tobacco in the U.S. of A."

Jonathan reaches out to take the cigar, then stops himself and shoots a look to Martha who is glaring. That's the way to keep him in line Mrs. Kent, Lois mentally cheered and thought about suggesting to Jonathon the need to frequently go to the doctors to get that heart checked up on.

"No, I, uh... My heart isn't exactly what it used to be."

"I'm gonna have to take a rain check on your hospitality, Mrs. Kent."

"You're welcome any time," Martha tells him with a smile and then shakes his hand and Jonathon moves to do the same.

"Thank you. Let's double-time it, Lo."

"You're leaving?" Clark asks with a small frown and Lois walks to stand in front of him.

"I'll be back," she reassures with a sassy smile and reaches up to give him a hug which he returned immediately.

"This is about Chloe. Clark, find the connection to LuthorCorp," she whispers into his ear and pulls away reluctantly. He gives her a look and she just smiles at him inconspicuously and leaves with a backward wave. Clark grins at her exit and shakes his head in wonderment.

"Good night now," Sam says after eyeing Clark a bit suspiciously.

"Good night," Jonathon answers for everyone.

Sam leaves. Jonathan looks at Clark who is still startled by Lois's words and abrupt departure.

If there was anything Lois hated with a passion it would be waiting. Who ever said patience is a virtue didn't know what the hell they were talking about. She had been stuck on this military base with nothing to do but wait for Clark to show up. Sure, she had run through the obstacle courses a couple of times but they weren't as exhilarating as Clark Kent. She laughed softly even thinking that as she used worked at the lock on the door. It opened after a few more twists of her lock pick and she grinned feeing smug.

Sitting on the desk is a box of Chavelo cigars. Next to the box is a file folder. Lois moves immediately to the folder and opens it to looks through the papers inside. The name plate on the desk says "Gen. Sam Lane". Next to the name plate is a picture of Sam, his wife, and Lois as a little girl.

Not finding anything useful, Lois moves to open a file cabinet and continues to snoop. When she doesn't find anything of use there once again, she goes to a bookshelf and pulls out a large log book, thumbing through the pages. The door to the office opens behind her, bathing her in light from the outlying hallway, and she smiles slightly before turning around, startled.

Clark enters and closes the door behind him.

"Considering your father has a yard full of tanks out there, I don't think you should be in his office rifling through his files."

"That didn't seem to slow you down any. I gotta say I'm impressed, Smallville, that you could sneak on a military base undetected. What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for you and I think your father's working with Lex Luthor. I saw one of his cigars in his library."

"I knew it!" she exclaimed and when he raised a brow in question she quickly explained. "You did miss me!" At his blush she gave a little laugh and gave him the 'real' reason for her delight. "You're right. What do you know? My dad and the king of the trust fund kids," she finishes offhandedly.

Lois goes back to Sam's desk and sets down the log book to keep looking through it.

"They're trying to cover up something to do with Chloe, and if he finds us here--

"I can handle him, Clark. Besides, if you think that chopper recital was something, you should've seen the escort I had for prom."

"Wow, and I thought my father was overprotective."

"I guess when he lost my mom, he kind of cracked, and... ever since, he's been scared of losing me too."

Clark lowers his eyes apologetically and sees the picture on Sam's desk.

"I can actually talk about it. She died when I was six," Lois told him amused by his sympathy.

"I'm sorry," he tells her anyway making her want to just curl up in his arms. He is the strongest person she has ever met and yet equally as tender.

"Don't be. Unless you're the one that got her hooked on cigarettes behind the gym during high school?"

Lois picks up another log book and hands it to Clark.

"Make yourself useful."

She takes another book for herself and begins to flip through its pages. Clark skims through his book. Come on Clark, say it already so we can find my cousin, Lois grumbled slightly when it was taking him longer than last time. When she looked up at him she caught him staring and with a blush he looked back down. There is a list of names and Clark stops at one that catches his eye finally.

"Nellie Blye?"

"I know. Can you believe after 15 years, my dad is finally getting some action? I'm kind of happy for the old geezer."

"She died nearly 80 years ago."

"But it says in his calendar that he's been taking R & R with her at least once a week," she says pointing down at the planner.

"She was one of the first undercover female reporters. She was Chloe's hero."

"It says here that she is at... 2348 Walnut Street," Lois informs him. With burst of air she recognized immediately Lois looks up from the planner and Clark is gone.

"Clark? That is going to get old really fast buster," she mutters slamming the book shut. Now it was time for more waiting and then Chloe rescuing. First she had to get out of this military base and then she could just head to the warehouse.

Lois sees Clark turn over onto his back and suddenly Trent is standing over him, preparing to swing. Abruptly, Trent's body is covered with an electrical current. Lois smiles as Clark turns to her surprised to see her standing behind Trent, shooting him with an electric ray gun. Clark shoots his heat vision at Trent's body until Trent finally explodes into thousands of tiny drops of liquid metal that plop into the steaming vat.

"What the hell was that?"

Clark stands up, not responding and Lois wished he knew that she knew but couldn't really tell him. It would make everything so much easier but he had to want to tell her, she was right to believe that.

"Chloe always told me this town was weird. I don't know how you ever survived without me."

She grins at Clark who smiles back with a shrug and then turns away and runs back to Chloe.

"How'd you get here, anyway?"

"What do you mean how did I get here? How did you get here?" Lois asked knowing that he wouldn't have an answer and waited to hear some funny lame excuse. None comes as he finds Chloe unconscious on the ground and kneels down next to her, untying her hands.

"Chloe? Chloe, are you okay? Chloe?"

Chloe's eyes open, and she laughs with happiness and relief when she sees Clark. She sits up and they hug each other tightly.

"Chloe. I was afraid I'd lost you. I don't know what I'd do without my best friend," he tells her honestly.

Chloe is too overcome with emotion to respond. Clark helps her to her feet as she gasps through tears of joy. She laughs again as he moves to the side and she sees Lois standing there.

"Lois? Lois, what are you doing here? Lois!"

They hug tightly, Chloe obviously happy to see her cousin and amazed that she had come when she needed her the most.

"Putting the worst days of my life behind me," she says with sincerity.

They pull out of the hug to look at each other, and Chloe laughs happily.

"I am so glad I found you."

"'I'?" Clark states with a mock glare in Lois' direction. She just stares right back at him, caught in his eyes. Chloe looks on curious.

"If you guys don't mind, I'd really like to get out of here."

"Yeah," Clark says finally breaking away from her gaze.

"Yeah," Lois agrees.

Clark and Lois stand on either side of Chloe, each putting an arm around her, and they all walk out of the foundry.

"Let's get you out of here, Chloe."

"Before Lionel throws anymore creeps at you."

"Yeah. Because tomorrow morning in court, I'm gonna kick Lionel Luthor's butt."

After making sure Chloe was ok, Lois had lost her nerve about telling her about what was going on. She just couldn't think of a way to do it without sounding crazy. Also, after seeing Chloe looking at Clark, Lois didn't really want to think about how she would react when she tells her or how to tell her. 'Hey Chlo, guess what? I love Clark and we're going to be married in the future with at least three kids! Who would have thought right? I mean, me, a mom and in a committed loving relationship.' She'd definitely call the Looney house.

The only other option had been to wait and while the journal had seemed like a good idea Lois really needed just needed someone to vent at and who better to vent at than Lara? She began rethinking even this idea as she entered the Kawatche caves and heard Lana and Clark talking. It was almost like an accident, even as you drove past, griping about people slowing down to get a look causing traffic you still can't tear your eyes away. She only hoped that this conversation wouldn't break her heart—it had been tortured enough lately.

"It's funny, isn't it? After everything we've been through, I thought it would take us longer to get over it," Lana asks with no trace of sadness in her voice.

"Us?"

"You and Lois," She supplies helpfully with a smile.

"Lois?" Clark asks surprised and a little embarrassed that Lana seemed to see through him. He tries to deny it, much to Lois' amusement as she realized this conversation was going far better than she had expected. She had always liked Lana, Lois admits to herself. Whether it was true or not depended on whether Lana only felt platonic towards Clark.

"She's bossy."

Lana smiles, seeing through Clark's negative words. Clark continues, trying to prove his point but Lois only smiles in the distance not really willing or able to refute his points.

"She's stuck up, she's rude…" he trails off not quite sure if he even believed those last two.

Lana smiles and nods, "the best ones always start that way."

Clark gives up and smiles fondly thinking about what she said. "I'm just afraid she's going to leave and I'll never get a chance to get to know her."

"I have a feeling that Lois is going to stick around Clark, no matter what," She reassured not realizing that she was broaching on a fear of Clark's she didn't know existed, his insecurities and fear of being rejected for who he is. Lois could have hugged the girl right then and there. If she wasn't hiding in the shadows and eavesdropping that is.

"Do you believe in destiny Clark?"

"I do," he said it simply and froze staring off into space. Lana must have realized she was losing his attention and decided to just talk to him some other time. Lois knew immediately why Clark had seemed frozen. He heard something and if he was like anything like the future Clark, he for some reason beyond her, always seemed to keep dabs on her heartbeat. Lois almost let out a curse but just barely kept it in and shrank into the shadows as Lana bid Clark farewell and left the cave.

"What are you doing here Lois?" Clark asked intrigued and Lois knew that the gig was up and walked over to him.

"I come here to…think," she finished lamely.

"How do you even know about it?" He asked slightly amused but extremely curious. This was definitely not the time to tell Clark that his biological Kryptonian Mother had told her to come here to talk and so she did the first thing she could think of to get Clark to forget his question and worry about something else.

Ask him a question he couldn't answer.

"How did you know I was here? I know you couldn't see me from my damn good hiding place and I didn't make a sound," she told him and smiled as he seemed to shift uncomfortably.

"I don't know. I guess I just…knew," he said equally as lame and then took her hand to pull her out of the caves in order to refocus her attention.

"Let's go home."

Home, Lois thought with a fond smile and let him pull her along. It already felt exactly like a home and a family.

I guess I won't be talking to Lara tonight, she thought her smile turning wryly.


	4. Facade

Here's the next part. Leave me a review!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Façade**

Clark notices a tire swing hanging from a nearby tree and tosses the football at it, easily sinking the ball through the hole of the tire. He doesn't notice that Lois has parked her car behind him and is now walking toward him. Lois smiled inwardly, not really thinking it would be a good idea to tell him that she had seen his little Hail Mary stunt as well.

"Nice arm, farm boy."

Clark turns around to look at her startled but then smiles and walks over to her.

"When's the first game?"

"I'm not on the team."

"Why not? An arm like that is a "Get out of geek free" pass."

"Well, even if I wanted to play—"

"Which obviously you do," Lois teased a little.

"That wouldn't be the reason. Thanks, I don't really consider myself a geek."

Clark starts to walk away, and Lois walks with him interested in learning more about him, now, when he doesn't really seem to think much of himself.

"So... what do you see yourself as?"

"I don't know. An outsider, I guess."

"That's a recipe for wedgies if I've ever heard one, not that anyone could ever be able to give you wedgies. If you haven't noticed already—you're one built cookie Smallville."

"Have I told you how much I'm gonna miss you?" He asked with a slight blush. It was meant to be taken as teasing annoyance but Lois saw through that almost instantly.

"Is that why you're so grumpy Kent?"

"I'm not grumpy," he argued while bending down to pick up a rock before launching it in the distance. It went far, not too far but far enough before Lois to raise a skeptical brow in his direction.

"OK, so I don't want you to go," he admitted softly much to Lois' surprise. He shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for her to respond. She didn't even know what to say, so she was thankful when General Sam Lane drives up and steps out of his car.

"Daddy. Don't you have three thousand guys to baby-sit? Do you really need to keep checking up on me?"

"It would appear that way."

"I know that I'm late. But I can still make it to campus for orientation," she tells him knowing that it wouldn't matter anyway.

"Save yourself a trip. Met U just yanked your acceptance," he tells her with a frown. Lois tried to hold back a smile. Not that it was a laughing matter but she really didn't want to leave Smallville—the town or the farm boy.

"What? They can't do that!" She bit out trying to sound angry.

"They can if you don't have enough credits to finish high school."

"Look, I know I missed a few classes, but..." she trailed off and he quickly filled in the rest for her.

"Lo, you failed the last semester."

Clark laughs with disbelief but when Sam looks sharply at him, he stops laughing. Lois also shots a glare in his direction but then turns it on her father. What he failed to mention or even remember was that she had missed that last semester because she was too busy playing mother to a rebellious sister.

"Not to worry, though. I'm sure that Clark will be happy to show you around."

"Around where?" Clark and Lois both asked at once then glanced over at the other. Sam turns his back to Lois and Clark and begins to walk back to his car.

"Bright and early tomorrow morning you start Smallville High," he tells her with a little smirk in their direction. Smiling, Sam continues to walk to his car. Clark's eyes twinkle in her direction and Lois sighs heavily.

"Great."

* * *

Lois and Chloe drive into the parking lot in Lois's car and find a parking spot almost in the front. Lois glances about and notices the welcome back sign with a frown.

"You know, socially divisive cliques and hall passes aside, this place really isn't all that bad," Chloe tries to reassure her cousin as she notices almost unwilling to get out of the car.

"It's the varsity version of Dante's seventh ring," Lois comments snidely.

Chloe laughs as she gets out of the car with Lois following reluctantly behind. She quickly loops her arm through Lois' before she can change her mind and all but drags her to the entrance of the high school.

"Come on, do you know how many people would kill to relive their senior year in high school?"

"Make that semester. Five more credits and I am out of this cow pile."

"Wait a minute. Five credits in one semester? Lois, the only way you're gonna do that is if you add an extracurricular to your class list. Like, say, maybe... writing for the Torch," she suggests with a bright smile. Lois almost forgets that she's not supposed to glow at the suggestion and just manages to hide a smile in a groan.

"Uh, no hard feelings here, cuz, but unlike you, the last thing I want to be is a reporter," she lies to her. Who would guess that Lois Lane becomes an award winning journalist and Chloe becomes…

"Yeah, God. What could be worse than, you know, uncovering the truth and protecting the public?"

"And sticking your nose in other people's business," Lois butts in and couldn't help but feel smug about how perfect she would be.

"Like I said; you'd be perfect. Come on, let's go!"

Lois shakes her head at Chloe's remark, and Chloe puts her arm around Lois's shoulder as they enter the school.

"It's gonna be great having you here."

"It might not be so bad," Lois murmurs happy to be with her cousin. They hadn't really seen all that much of each other since Chloe's return from the dead. Not alone at least and Lois really needed to tell her what was going on. She was the only person she felt that she could tell.

"Hey Chlo, do you think that we could talk a little later. I have something kind of important I need to tell you," she began her tone not at all the confident tone everyone associated her with. Chloe turned to her with curious eyes.

"What is it Lois?"

"Not here. I'll tell you later," she says and almost runs into Clark, who is talking to some blonde girl. Lois' eyes narrow slightly before she remembers herself and loses it.

"Sorry," he says with a smile even though it was she who ran into him. Lois returns the smile and can't help but feel smug as his gaze stays on hers.

"Good morning, Clark. Hey... Abby."

Chloe and Lois keep walking only looking back once to both shake their heads in amazement, Chloe because of Abby's transformation and Lois because Clark was still staring. She sent him a wink and then focused on her cousin.

"Whoa. Either she spent an entire summer at a silicon farm, or I am shopping at the wrong makeup counter."

"How old is she, 17? That's like messing with the batter before the cookies are even baked," she asked still feeling a bit predatory.

"Don't tell me that the world isn't nicer to prettier people," Chloe states matter-of-factly while opening her locker. "Besides, you know, I mean it's her body and if it makes her feel better, then it's none of our business."

Lois looks at Chloe in surprise but says nothing. Can't her investigative reporter in training see this as a big story?

"What?"

"I'm just stunned that Miss "Letter to the Editor" doesn't find it one bit disgusting that a girl would get nipped and tucked to transform into some plastic pod person."

Clark approaches with brows raised at Lois' words. So they weren't exactly the most eloquent words to use but they fit so perfectly.

"I think she looks great," Clark say with a smirk focusing on Lois, to which she didn't disappoint. He managed to detect the faintest trace of jealousy before it was gone, but it was there.

"What a shocker," she says dryly and Chloe laughs. "Look, that's the problem with high school. It's all a facade. Everyone's hiding who they really are and trying to be something they're not."

"Well, it sounds like you've got your first article. See you in the Torch."

Chloe and Clark start to walk away and Clark shrugs at Lois. She rolls her eyes but lets out a smirk. It going to be the best damn article The Torch has ever seen!

"Okay, I'll write for you, but you better get me extra credit," she tells her unable to hide her excitement. She had missed working, missed chasing after a scoop, meeting a source, being pushed off a building all for a greater cause—ok, so maybe she didn't really miss falling (being pushed) off of buildings. She'd have to be careful who she upset for now though with no Superman to save the day. Sure, Clark was here but he wasn't really at the stage in his life where he'd be there to catch her every time she was pushed (fell out of) a window. It was going to be a lot easier knowing who she was investigating before the investigation even started, she though throwing a look back in Abby's direction. That just takes some of the fun out of it.

* * *

Lois is driving extremely fast through the parking lot as she talks angrily into her cell phone. She was supposed to be mad for getting stuck in Smallville and the only way she knew how to express her anger was over the phone to the university office of costumer service.

"Admissions office? Look, I'm in the nation's cream corn capital retaking calculus! No, don't put me on hold!" She bit out aggrevated that she wasn't being listened to. Just to think, in less than eight years time all she'll have to do is mention her name and she could get anyone on the phone. Or at least pester them to death or have Clark get on the line for her and outwait them with his patience. That was years from now though, and so she had to wait. "Could this day be any worse?"

She lowers her eyes to hang up her phone. When she looks up again, she screams as Brett, wearing only his football pants, darts in front of her car. She slams on her brakes as Brett slams against her windshield, cracking it, then rolls off the hood of the car and onto the pavement, unconscious.

"You'd think I would have remembered that," she mutters and exits her car slowly grabbing her phone to call in the accident.

Lying on his back on a gurney with an oxygen mask strapped to his face, Brett is wheeled into an ambulance outside Smallville High. He has dried blood along the side of his neck. Lois glances over in the crazy man's direction once again and frowns before finishes off her statement to the officer. The spectators who are held back by police tape.

"No, that's everything," she says when he asks her once again, for the third time, if she had anything else to add.

"Thank you."

Clark approaches Lois as she catches sight of a worried, wet Abby out of the corner of her eye. Lois gives Clark a small smile as he takes her arm to steer her away in obvious concern.

"Lois, what's going on?"

"He just ran right out in front of me. I don't know. They said he's gonna be okay; physically, anyway. The cops think he kind of lost it."

"Who, Brett? I just saw him at practice an hour ago. He was fine."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah."

"Think about it, Clark. It's the start of a new season, scholarships, the entire town counting on you to be their hero. Who knows what kind of neuroses are hiding behind that "Big Man on Campus" mask?"

"No way. If anything, Brett was too overconfident. He probably just didn't see you."

"Yeah, that might explain the broken windshield, but do you want to tell me why he was running around half naked, soaking wet? Who would do that?" Lois asks, knowing exactly who would but wants Clark to start wondering too.

There are several guys wearing only towels, changing after their showers when Clark walks into the boy's locker room. Lois walks in following Clark, not intimidated in the least. Clark tries to stop her from going any farther.

"Hey, hey! The last time I checked, you were missing a few prerequisites for being in here."

"So you have been checking me out," she says smugly with her hands on her hips. Some of the guys laugh in surprise when they see Lois and Clark blushes at her comment before stepping closer to her in order to reason.

"Lois, just wait outside".

"Are you kidding? Tortured senior can't keep up the hometown hero act and buckles? This is as juicy as my teen cosmetic surgery article," she tells him with a flick to his nose and then walks over to a group of shirtless guys standing by the lockers.

"Excuse me. How well did you know Brett Anderson?" She asks with a friendly smile and Clark groans from behind her. She manages to elbow him in the stomach, taking pleasure in his surprised grunt before crossing her arms as one of the guys looks her up and down.

"Not as well as I'd like to know you."

"Charming. Look, Brett ran in front of my car. Do any of you guys know what that was all about?"

Lois and the guys continue to talk as Clark walks farther into the room to look through the next row of lockers. Lois is proud that she didn't even have to tell him to snoop around. As soon as he finds Abby's necklace, he'll come back and wait for her to finish up her questioning. Lois decided to cut out the waiting part and just walked away from the ogling boys and went to the exit. Clark was beside her in a matter of moments and Lois couldn't help but smile at his smug expression as they exited the locker room.

"What did you find?" She asked and he looked at her in amazement before brandishing his souvenir.

"A, for Abby?" Lois questions and he can only nod in agreement. "You seemed pretty buddy-buddy with her earlier, why don't you go and talk with her," Lois supplies.

"Lois, you know it's not like that," Clark feels the need to explain, wanting her to know that he's not involved with anyone. She merely raised her eyebrows at him and he blushed before mumbling something about see you at dinner before taking off. Lois laughed softly and called out before she could help herself.

"Hey Clark!"

He turned to face her and she managed to refrain from gulping when his soulful bright eyes met hers. "I'm glad it's not like that," she muttered and turned on her heel to walk the other way leaving him with a grin.

* * *

Lois is seated at the computer in the Torch office. She is on the website of Beechwood, the cosmetic clinic belonging to Dr. Fine. At the top of the screen the words, "You are one procedure away from perfection," are in bold and Lois grimaces.

She clicks the page with her mouse and the line at the top of the screen is replaced with another that says "Do you want to make an appointment?" There is a yes button next to a no button. Lois clicks yes with slight hesitation. This meeting hadn't turned out quite like she wanted it to last time. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea…

"Hey Lois!" Chloe called out from the doorway causing her to startle slightly but she moved to quickly exit the site and then shut down. It had been her idea to meet Chloe in here so they could talk.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Chloe asks with a smile and moves a chair to sit. Lois smiles back tentatively, not really sure how much she should tell her cousin or where to begin.

"Yes," Lois manages to get out and that's it. Chloe merely raises an eyebrow and her smile is now amused.

"Something has happened to me Chlo," she began hesitantly and once again stopped waiting for Chloe to urge her to continue.

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain and I'm not quite sure if I should."

"You can tell me anything Lois," Chloe reassures giving Lois a side hug.

"I'm not too sure. You might think I'm crazy," she admits dropping her head into her hands. "If this wasn't happening to me, I'd think I was crazy."

"What is it about?"

"Destiny," she answers simply but truthfully and knows she'll have to give her cousin a little more information.

"I know things about the future that I shouldn't know, because I've already lived them," Lois finally manages to get out and Chloe looks intrigued which Lois is thankful for.

"So, how do you know that you've lived it before?"

"I can remember."

"Of course, but how did you manage to…" Chloe trails off unsure as to how to continue

"Go back in time?"

"Yeah."

"Something happened, something awful and my family was taken away from me in a split second," Lois tried to explain with tears in her eyes. If Chloe hadn't believed her before, she couldn't deny the tears. They were of grief and loss, of a sorrow so deep it cut you to the bone. There was no way a pain that deep could be imagined. Besides…Lois Lane never cried.

"Your family?" Chloe asked with curiosity.

"Yes. Though, I really don't know if I can tell you who that means exactly right now Chlo," Lois said with a little frown. It was obvious that her cousin had a crush on Clark and before she went and said something that could hurt her, she thought that maybe it would be wise to find Chlo a man. Yes, Lois thought with a nod. She'd make that her next mission after dealing with this crazy doctor woman. After Chloe was happily in a relationship she'd feel more comfortable letting it slip that Clark Kent is the love of her life and future husband and father to her children—ok, so maybe she wouldn't say all that, she didn't want to scare anyone with 'crazy talk'. Plus, it wouldn't be Chloe playing match maker this time around if Lois had anything to say about it.

"I'm here to restore the balance between good and evil, whatever that means," Lois finished with a grimace. Chloe laughed at her expression and had a million questions.

"So, how are you supposed to do that?"

"I'm going to have to have a talk with the woman who sent me back and then figure out the rest on my own I guess. That's why I was kind of hoping for your help…"

"Of course!" Chloe quickly assures excitedly. "How am I supposed to help exactly?" She asks after a brief pause.

"I'm not exactly sure. I guess, just be on the look out for shady characters or something."

"Right."

"And I'll let you know how my meeting with Lara goes," Lois offers and then winces as soon as she realizes she probably shouldn't use names. Maybe Chloe didn't catch it.

"Lara?"

Definitely shouldn't have mentioned any names.

"Uh, Clara?"

"What?"

"What?" Lois asks pretending to be confused and Chloe merely narrows her eyes. Lois sighs heartily but decides to give in when she notices the stubborn glint in her cousin's eyes.

"Lara is the woman who sent me back and that's really all I can tell you about her."

"Because you don't know anything else?"

"Because I can't tell you anything else—yet."

"And am I supposed to just go with that?"

"Yes. For now," Lois answers firmly with no room for argument.

"Ok Cous, I'm here for you."

"Thank you," Lois tells her honestly.

"Hey Lois?" Chloe asks as they both stand up and head towards the exit.

"Yeah?"

"This family that was taken from you, were you happy?"

"I was so happy Chloe," Lois manages to choke out.

"And can you go back to them, when you're done?"

"No. This is my timeline now. What I choose to do effects that same future. I just have to wait and hope that I'll have them with me again soon."

"I'm sorry for your loss Lois," Chloe told her and Lois hadn't realized how badly she needed to hear someone say that. How badly she needed to hear it so she could put her feelings of loss behind her. She would have it all again, she would do everything in her power until she did.

"You know Chloe, you took this far better than I expected you to," Lois points out as they stroll down the hallway and exit the school.

"Well, I do live in Smallville. If you hadn't noticed already Lois, this place is—"

"Weird," Lois finishes for her with a smile and Chloe laughs.

"Exactly!"

* * *

Lois is in an office at Beechwood, seated across the desk from Dr. Fine, the next day. She couldn't help but marvel at the fact that she always seemed to get into trouble. If her memory was correct than this lady was going to go psycho as soon as the interview ended. Clark better get his butt here on time, she thought darkly and tried to keep a smile on her face for cover.

"My parents don't understand. They say I'm too young for plastic surgery," Lois lies and almost grins smugly when the crazy doctor seemed to buy it.

"Well, some parents don't remember what it was like. When I was your age, I wasn't exactly homecoming queen. I worked harder than all the pretty girls only to watch everything get handed to them. Seven surgeries and two years changed all that.'

Dr. Fine spreads her hands in a gesture of presenting herself, showing Lois how beautiful she is now compared to her memory of herself in high school. Lois smiles breathlessly, pretending to be impressed. She mentally rolls her eyes.

"You know, I was actually interested in that new procedure you used on Abby. It is really true that you only have to come in once?"

"That's why I developed the process. I didn't want to watch my daughter go through the pain that I endured only to have what other girls are lucky enough to be born with. So let's get you scheduled here."

"Yes, please."

Dr. Fine starts to schedule Lois on the computer. From Lois's purse, which is sitting on the desk, there is a high pitched chattering noise like a tape recorder malfunctioning. Dr. Fine looks at the purse suspiciously. Lois stands up and reaches for her purse. She could have slapped herself for the rookie mistake.

"You know, I'm actually running a little late."

"Are you recording this?" Lois grimaces at the anger in her voice and can't help but think that she probably should have left Clark a note so he'd get there sooner. Dr. Fine stands up and grabs the purse. She opens it up and pulls out a small tape recorder. Lois takes the recorder away from Dr. Fine.

"I'm going to expose you."

Probably not the best thing to say, Lois can't help but chastise herself as she walks toward the door and Dr. Fine follows her.

"Who are you to stop people from being their best?"

"Call me crazy, but I've always been a firm believer that beauty... It's on the inside."

Lois turns to leave, and Dr. Fine grabs her by the hair. Lois let out a yell and turned to knock some sense into the doctor not seeing until it was too late that she already had the needle in her hand. Dr. Fine turns Lois around and injects her in the neck with a syringe. Lois falls to the ground.

"The people that say that are the ones who already have it on the outside."

Lois regains consciousness and finds herself strapped to the table in Dr. Fine's office. Dr. Fine is looking down at her. Lois manages a glare but can't do too much because of the straps.

"Great! What are you doing?" Lois spits out in annoyance.

"Giving you the inside scoop. You really want to know what it was like for Abigail all of those years? Hmm? Well, you're gonna find out," she snaps while grabbing Lois' face viciously.

The crazy doctor lady lets go and walks over to the switch on the wall. She flips it, and the body-shaped cover starts to lower down to Lois. She starts to breathe heavily in fear as she sees the large needles coming toward her. She was really regretting not leaving that note for Clark. She almost called out for Superman but that wouldn't really do much good.

"And without the suppressant to balance out your serotonin levels, you'll be filing your story from the psych ward."

"You're crazy lady," Lois says with disgust as Dr. Fine smiles maliciously.

There are tubes on the outside of the cover that fill up with a green liquid. Lois struggles against the straps that are holding her down looking nervously from Dr. Fine to the needles coming toward her. She recognizes the green gas almost immediately and for a second wishes Clark far away.

Clark super speeds to the procedure room and crashes through the glass door. He grabs the cover and pulls it off the table before it is completely lowered.

"Clark!" Lois exclaims relieved until she notices his face contort with pain. Her heart cries out to him as green smoke starts to rise from the tubes and fill the room. Clark is obviously weakened and begins to gasp as he stumbles away from the table. Dr. Fine walks up to Clark and hits him across the face with a large metal object. He falls to the ground. Dr. Fine then walks toward the table where Lois kicks her in the face, knocking her off her feet. Lois unfastens the straps holding her down and slides of the table. She sees Clark struggling on the floor and quickly rushes to his side.

"Clark! Are you okay?"

"Get me out of here," he groans out to her as she wraps her arms around him in a need to comfort.

"Okay."

Lois grabs Clark arm and helps him stand up. Behind them, Dr. Fine grabs a scalpel that has fallen to the floor next to her and picks it up. She stands up and comes after Lois and Clark with it, but before she can do any harm, Lois turns around and kicks her in the chest, sending her back to the floor.

"Bitch."

Lois helps Clark out of the office, not asking him questions and not needing to. She just needed to get him as far away from the Kryptonite as she could manage.

* * *

Lois stands against the wall in the crowded hallway looking proudly at the front page of the Torch. There is a picture of her next to an article she wrote called "Skin Deep." Chloe comes down the stairs and walks to Lois smiling.

"Admiring the genius within, huh?"

"It had a typo," Lois lies trying to hide her pride. She was damn proud of it that was for sure and she couldn't help but think that if she wanted too, she could have found a way to get into an article of the Daily Planet. A byline is a byline; she smirks as they start to walk away together.

"Oh, nice try. So I followed up on the Abby storyline, and it looks like Mother Makeover is gonna be playing "mirror, mirror" on the psych ward wall from now on."

"Is Abby gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, she'll be back next week. So are you excited for your first pep rally?"

"Hmm, not exactly the Friday night I've been dreaming of."

"Oh, come on, it's your debut as Smallville's newest celeb."

"Yeah, right. One plastics 'r' us piece, and they're gonna be holding tables all over town for me."

"You'd be surprised. I mean, not that I'm ceding my stance on a woman's right to choose rhinoplasty, but..." she smiles and hands over a stack of paper. "...you've got fan mail. Looks like your little exposé struck a couple chords."

"I didn't even expect anybody to read this, let alone have a..." Lois trails off reading one of the pages, "A life-changing experience"? Please."

"Whatever. Say what you want, but I know inside, it's getting to you. Welcome to the bullpen, Miss Lane!" Chloe exclaims and Lois smiles as she turns to walk away. "Now, I'm off to see Clark Kent in a wet T-shirt. Care to join me?"

"Like I've never seen that before," Lois made sure to respond but couldn't help the excitement in her belly just thinking about it. She quickly moved to join Chloe in her fast paced walk to get there.

Lois throws a football at the target of the dunk tank and misses. Clark, who is sitting above the tank in a T-shirt and shorts, smiles at Lois teasingly. Jason tosses another football to Lois who is standing next to Chloe. A large group of students watches excitedly.

"Keep your eye on the target."

"Come on, Lois! Didn't those guys on the base teach you anything?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lois says with a smirk.

Chloe laughs and Clark just gestures at the target, urging Lois to take her shot.

"Doesn't matter 'cause you are going down."

"That'll be the day."

The students watching all start to chant.

"Dunk! Dunk! Dunk! Dunk! Dunk! Dunk!"

Lois pulls back her arm and chucks the football at the target, hitting it dead center. Clark drops into the water tank with a splash. Lois throws up her arms and cheers.

"Whoo!"

Chloe laughs as she and the rest of the students cheer and clap. Lois runs to the tank as Clark stands up, soaking wet, with a huge smile on his face.

Lois reaches out musses his wet hair, not being able to help herself, then turns and starts to walk back to Chloe. Clark splashes some of the water from the tank at her, and she turns back to smile at him again as he shakes out his hair with his hand.

Lois is oblivious as the smile on Chloe's face begins to fade as she sees the growing affection between Clark and Lois. Lois gives Clark another triumphant smile and Chloe looks on curious. Could Clark Kent be a part of Lois Lane'future?

* * *

Hope you liked it...review!!! please. 


	5. Devoted

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**Chapter 4: Devoted**

* * *

It had seemed like a good idea the night before at dinner, when she wasn't so tired and didn't realize that she had no idea what to do once she got to where she needed to be. Now, early enough in the morning to actually get away alone for a change, she stood outside of the caves with a frown marring her features. Lara had told her to come to the caves, nothing more and Lois really regretted not asking any questions about it. 

"I'm here!" She called out not really knowing what else to do and walked further into the tunnels.

Nothing.

"Give me a break Lara, you said the caves, come to the caves!" She called out in a mimicking her voice and smirked slightly at her own impression of the other woman.

Not a sound.

Not a bright light.

Not even a swirling vortex.

That last one would have been a sight to see, Lois couldn't help but nod in contemplation. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

Looking at her watch to check the time she noticed that school would start fairly soon—high school. Honestly she's already been through college once and she wasn't really looking forward to doing all that again let alone high school in Smallville. As she leaned back against the wall of the cave and closed her eyes in annoyance she felt strange warmth surround her.

Turning quickly she noticed the wall glowing, this could turn out better than that vortex, was her only thought as the wall seemed to be split in two by a bright light. Lois looked on curious, waiting for something more to happen.

Nothing.

"Lois," a voice, Lara's she recognized instantly, from inside called out to her and said nothing else.

"I take it you want me to come inside," she rolled her eyes on a mutter and began to enter the new room with some trepidation. As soon as she was fully inside the blinding light flickered out and she could see nothing else.

"My child, how are you?"

The voice startled her into a jump and she glared, mostly angry at herself for not expecting that.

"Peachy."

"You feel like a fruit?" Lara asked in that almost monotone sort of voice not catching Lois' sarcasm. Not that Lois was entirely sure if she could even detect sarcasm if she wanted to…right?

"Not a fruit Lara. Peachy means—you know what, never mind. It doesn't really matter anyway. How do you think I feel? I have Clark but I don't have him. I can't show my true feelings to anyone not even my cousin, who by the way has a crush on my husband. I can't talk to Martha about anything and everything like I used to and Jonathon thinks he needs to give us the sex lecture! I have heard that one, one too many times if you ask me."

"So everything is fine." Lara stated and Lois growled—yes growled—in response not liking that the other woman didn't seem to care about her troubles.

"I guess."

"Good. I foresee that everything is on schedule."

"See that, do ya?"

"Yes."

On a groan Lois couldn't help but wonder why she had decided that she even needed to visit Lara. Was she any help at all really? There had to be a reason for her needing to speak with her. It's not like she can help really. In Lois' opinion she had done all the help she needed to do when she had thrown her backwards in time. She was grateful to have a second chance with Clark, and a way to make sure they could be together forever…

Oh yeah.

"What was all that talk about the balance between good and evil?"

"The balance has been shifted. Lives have been lost that need not be and the world has more corruption than it should."

Right.

"I'll get right on that."

"Ok."

"Again, you seemed to miss my caustic tone altogether Lara," Lois' voice had become sympathetic almost but when only silence greeted her she rolled her eyes again.

"Again?" The older woman asked but Lois found it easier to just ignore the question rather than explain herself.

"So what the hell am I supposed to do about it?"

"You must set it to right."

"Any suggestions on how I'm supposed to go about doing that?"

"You must change the lives of many."

"Not really helping me at all Lara," Lois pointed out snidely but felt a smile tug anyway.

"The change can not occur, for it has not been wronged yet, therefore can not be set right."

"Right," Lois agreed but tried to muddle her way through Lara's Yoda speak. She probably should write some of this stuff down, she thought darkly and pulled out her notepad and quickly scribbled.

"Do you have a specific date I could maybe set aside in order to…change the world?" Lois asked only slightly joking.

"No."

"Of course not, that was stupid of me to even ask."

"You must not worry about it now my child. I will send you signs—"

"Signs?"

"—to guide you on your journey. That is all the information I can give you now."

Did she give any information what-so-ever? Not really, but then again it was to be expected.

"OK. I guess I'll be on my way then."

"Goodbye."

"Yeah, see yah."

As soon as she stepped through the open wall it began to close. That was a pretty handy trick and she couldn't help but admire the power Lara seemed to wield. If she hurried she could almost make it to school—sort of—on time but while she was on her way she had to see about getting herself back into college.

* * *

Dozens of students file in the front doors. Inside, Lois walks through the hall as she talks on her cell phone. 

"Well, can you please tell the dean there's been an egregious error? I belong at Metropolis University, not walking the halls of Podunk High. Well, yes, I'm sure that we could work this all out if you could just get him to call me back. Thank you!"

Lois slams her cell phone shut, walking right by Clark at his locker without noticing him. She really was frustrated. It was bad enough that she had to try and wrangle another acceptance into Met-U but she really didn't even want to go back there yet. It's not as if she'll make it a lasting academic career.

At this age, she hadn't really known that she wanted to be a journalist, hadn't really known she had wanted to be an anything, and so it was no surprise that school just didn't seem to cut it for her. When Lois Lane was ready to do something, when she set her mind to something, she did it. Until then, good luck trying to even catch a glimpse of motivation!

Clark is wearing a letterman's jacket and he shuts his locker quickly in order talk to Lois—at least when she was finished muttering to herself.

"You know...if you spent as much time studying as you did trying to leave, you'd be in college already."

"And where'd you get that pearl of wisdom, the Farmer's Almanac?" she bit out and almost regretted it. Almost, but didn't, she was just too frustrated to actually be civilized. Clark laughs slightly not really taking offense, then tugs on his jacket, showing it off.

"So, what do you think?"

She stops to give him her full attention. Lois makes sure to look him up and down at least twice before smirking playfully.

"They're not really your colors."

Lois starts to walk away and Clark follows.

"They're the school's colors."

"I'm glad you made the team, Clark, but why be a conformist? At least with the whole farm boy plaid thing, as lame as it is, it completely belongs to you."

And I like it, she thought but she'd never let him know it. She liked the fact that Clark could be such a farm boy. It kept her grounded and—heck she'd like him with anything (or nothing) on, who was she trying to kid?

"I've just always wanted to fit in Lois. I've always wanted to be on the football team, be a part of something. Is it bad if I want to embrace that completely?"

"Oh Clark, can't you understand that you're perfect just as you are?" She asked softly and he froze before glancing at her shyly. Lois realized her slip of the tongue almost immediately and felt the flush in her cheeks. Angry at herself she turned on her heels to stalk through the halls. He followed her with a bright smile.

Two cheerleaders walk past Clark and Lois and and they couldn't help but listen in to part of their conversation.

"I can't believe she even tried out."

"I know. Did you see what she was wearing?"

"And those thighs? One, two, three..."

"No!"

The girls both laugh as they keep walking and Lois and Clark watch them strangely, paying more attention to the fact that the cheerleaders' boyfriends, both football players in letterman's jackets, are following behind them, obediently carrying the girls' pom-poms, purses, and backpacks.

Lois and Clark keep walking and pass two more cheerleaders at their lockers. One is loading her boyfriend's arms with a stack of books, and the other gives her boyfriend her sweater to fold for her. Again, both guys are football players. Lois and Clark stare in confusion but keep walking.

"Yeah, so the party's gonna be way kickass."

"Yeah, pool party! Great!"

Lois and Clark pass one more couple. The football player is holding up a mirror so that the cheerleader can apply her lipstick.

"Where are we, some kind of freakish feminist parallel universe?"

Clark doesn't have an answer for her and merely shrugs before throwing another glance into the hallway in bewilderment as they enter the Torch office where Chloe is working.

"Hey, Chloe, have you seen the way these football players are acting?"

"Yeah, and I noticed one of them unloaded a shotgun in the boys' locker room. I was thinking about maybe doing an article on it, but the only two reporters I have are late again."

She finally spares them a glance from her paperwork and feigns shock.

"Oh! Hi. It's you."

"I'm sorry. I was storming the gates of Metropolis U. trying to get them to change their admissions policy," Lois partly lies. She had been on the phone with admissions but the cave had taken up most of her morning.

"And I had to pick up my new jacket. What do you think?"

"Not exactly your colors."

Lois clears her throat loudly, pleased.

"It's the school colors."

"Yeah but to me you're more of a yellow, red and blue kind of guy," Lois mentions with a fond smile that no one could understand.

"Yellow?"

"Whatever. Anyway, Lois, I need you to go to the Smallville Medical Center. Apparently our gun-toting ex-quarterback woke up this morning and he's the feeling the sting of his second-degree burns. He's been apologizing nonstop, so..."

"I'm sure he doesn't love the prospect of playing tight end for the Kansas State Boys' Home."

Lois's phone rings, and she answers it.

"Hello? Yes, I will hold of for the dean. I've got to go," The last was said to Chloe as she rushes out of the office.

"All right, I guess I'll go to Smallville Medical Center!"

Lois feels only slightly guilty about leaving Chloe hanging but she had to at least pretend that going back to school meant something to her. She didn't really want to be stuck in Smallville high and she could always just pass on college till she was supposed to go back. First she had to make sure they understand that she did, in fact, have all the credits she needed. She'd convince them, or annoy them until they believed her.

* * *

Lois is just hanging up the phone, again, as Chloe enters the Torch. She hadn't seen her all day and decided to come in to help out on this cheerleader story. 

"Hello! Uh, look, I'm gonna need you to run with that psycho quarterback story. You might want to interview his girlfriend Mandy. She's a cheerleader."

Chloe hands her notepad to Lois.

"Hi, I'm sorry that I haven't been around but I've been busy trying to get out of Mayberry."

"That's fine. Do whatever you want. You're in charge now. I'm quitting the Torch," Chloe announces with a smile as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Whoa! Wait. Quitting? Why?"

"I finally understand why it never worked with Clark."

"Okay, I'll bite."

"Because I was never there for him; I was always here buried in this stupid school newspaper. I wasn't devoted to him. But that's all gonna change now."

Crap.

Lois could have hit herself for forgetting this particular event. In her defense though, she has been under a lot of stress. How was she supposed to deal with this? Chloe walks toward the Wall of Weird and starts taking down pictures.

"Please stop with your crazy talk! You can't quit because, seriously, I need the credit, even though I'm pretty sure I don't."

"You know what's crazy? I actually thought you'd be happy for me. Now that Lana and Clark are finally a thing of the past, I may actually have a shot at this. Why are you getting in my way?"

Oh, man. How is she supposed to deal with this crazy Chloe? She had recognized that Chloe seemed to still have a crush on Clark, but she seemed to be a lot better about it. Actually, she had even told Lois that she was almost over it.

"Look Chloe, you've got to stop this. You know that it won't work out between the two of you."

"And why not?" Chloe asked darkly stepping closer to Lois with a fierce glare.

"You don't love him. Not in the way that he should be loved and he doesn't love you, not in the way you deserve to be loved."

Chloe faltered slightly, and Lois almost let out a sigh of relief but before she could get it out her cousin frowned again.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You're just jealous!"

"Fine. Looks like I'm gonna be covering the pom-pom beat."

"Thank you."

Lois leaves the room with a scowl. She wasn't happy about this, not in the slightest. She couldn't really tell Chloe that it was indeed Chloe herself that told her that she hadn't loved Clark. Right before she had set the two of them up, annoyed with their constant bickering, obvious attraction and feelings and denial. It had taken them so long to admit their feelings for one another, but that wouldn't be the case this time, of that Lois could guarantee.

Now she had to find some cheerleaders to interrogate and think of a way to burn Chloe. If she remembered correctly, heat broke the devotion.

Lois turned a corner in the hallway and sees Mandy talking to three other cheerleaders.

"Seriously, Mandy, the 24-hour mourning period is over. You need a new boyfriend to take to our pool party."

"Okay, I'm not taking a step down from Dan and dating some wide receiver, Rhonda."

"Well, Clark Kent's the new quarterback."

"And he's hot."

The other girls laugh and nod and Lois barely contains a predatory growl in the back of her throat.

"No decisions. I'll scope him out."

Over my dead body, Lois thinks with a dark look before shaking her head and laughing softly at her own thoughts. She was devoted to Clark and didn't even need meteor juice.

Rhonda notices that Lois is listening, and gestures to her to let the other girls know. Lois walks toward them and talks to Mandy.

"Mandy, right? I'm Lois Lane. I'm doing an article for the Torch about what happened to your boyfriend."

"She doesn't want to talk about it."

"I don't want to write the article either, but my cousin dumped it on me and I need the credit, so let's—"

"I wouldn't give that geek rag a quote if it were the last paper on earth."

"Darn. And I thought it was going to be so insightful."

They all glare at Lois as three football players walk up to them.

"Oh, look. Your valets are here," Lois comments dryly and then pauses for effect before giving Mandy a mock sympathetic look. "Except you don't have one anymore, do you?"

"I could have another boyfriend like that," she bites out with a snap of her fingers.

"It's amazing what a short skirt and the ability to rhyme will get ya," Lois muses.

Rhonda is at her locker and hands one of her folders to her boyfriend. He drops it on the floor, and Lois picks it up. She opens it and the front page is titled "The Love Molecule." There is a picture of a molecule called phenylethylamine.

"Oh, advanced chem. How many cheerleaders does it take to draw a double helix?"

"You want a quote?"

"Yeah."

"Back off, bitch."

Lois just smiles as the cheerleaders push past her and walk away. They wave goodbye mockingly.

"Just got my headline," she says smugly and makes her way toward the Torch to write it up.

* * *

Lois didn't see herself as a stalker. She didn't meet any of the requirements that make a stalker a stalker—usually. Tonight she made an exception. She had been following Chloe around all afternoon. The girl was quick, that's for sure but since at the moment she only seemed to have one thing on her mind (Clark Kent) it was easy to figure out where she would be headed. Lois wouldn't disclose it to anyone, but it was actually quite fun following her cousin; hiding behind corners and ducking into stores so as not to be seen. She was pretty damn good at it, she had to admit. 

Now, she watched her cousin sneak into the barn at the Kent farm and not come out. Obviously Chloe was playing stalker too. She had to save her before she humiliated herself. If only she would have thought to bring something like a…blowtorch? No, that was hot but a bit extreme. Maybe a lighter would have been smart to bring. She would have had one but she just had to quit smoking. As she saw Clark headed for the barn she groaned and for once wished that she still had the disgusting habit. Too bad she just couldn't tell Clark to zap her with some of his heat vision gizmo.

"Clark!" She called out just before he went into the barn. She just couldn't let him go in there. Who knew what 'freak Chloe' had planned for him? She wouldn't let Chloe feel that embarrassed when she snapped out of it and she definitely wouldn't stand for her trying to…make out with him or something. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought and she moved quickly to Clark's side as he turned.

"Lois, what are you doing out here?" He asked but she was pleased to see that he was happy to see her.

"I don't think you want to know," she told him honestly with a little grimace as she looked up at the window of his loft.

"What if I do?"

"I say too bad, so sad," she teased not really wanting him to find out that Chloe was waiting for him.

He just grinned back obviously not really caring about why she was outside and for that she was thankful.

"You want to come up?" He asked motioning towards the barn and blushed slightly when she only raised a brow in surprise.

"I mean, we could talk. I feel like I can tell you anything Lois and the real kicker is, that doesn't scare me at all."

"Should it?" She asked curiously with her tilted to the side.

"Yes. I can't talk to anyone like I can with you."

"I'm glad," she told him sincerely and was surprised when he reached out to take her hand gently in his. She allowed him to intertwine their fingers and couldn't help but squeeze back when he applied a little pressure as if to ask if it was ok.

"I—"

"What is going on here?" Chloe spat out emerging from the barn and Lois quickly dropped Clark's hand to spin in her cousin's direction to make sure she was fully clothed at least. She was, thank God. She had figured Chloe was so obsessed right now, that she wouldn't have put it passed her to be wearing something like—Clark's jersey and nothing else.

"Hey Chloe!" Clark greeted with a bright smile that softened her glare. He had no idea what was going on and Lois just wished she could think of a way for him to never find out.

"Hi Clark," she said in a soft purr and moved a bit closer to them. She turned a glare on Lois and managed to say her name curtly and that was all.

"Hey Chloe, how are you? Clark here and I were just talking about how great it is working at the Torch," Lois tried to see if Chloe would show any sign of actually being Chloe but there was none. Clark looked at her in confusion but she just shot him a look that clearly meant play along. It looked as though she was going to have to show some tough love, and so she took Clark's hand into hers again in a sign of possession.

"The Torch, right," Chloe said snidely her lips curling as she looked down. It was obvious she had been too late tonight. Lois could see the wheels in her head spinning, planning another encounter tomorrow.

"I think I'm going to go to bed. You're tired too, right Clark?" Lois asked and was thankful when he nodded along with her.

"Well, good night then Clark. I hope you have sweet dreams," her cousin said not even glancing in her direction as she spun on her heel and left. Lois sighed and released Clark's hand in order to press it against her temple. She really just needed to hit Chloe with a frying pan or something. She would definitely be bringing something to burn her with tomorrow but she would have to do it when no one was around…

"What was that about Lois?" Clark asked in bewilderment and she looked up into his eyes with the intention of lying to him. As soon as her eyes met his however, she found that she couldn't.

"Let's just say Chloe's 'devoted' like the others."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"We should really find a way to knock her out of it then, huh partner?" He asked with a smile not realizing how much that one word meant to her. She felt her eyes burn slightly with emotion and forced them back. She met his eyes once again and smiled into them.

"You bet, partner."

* * *

"Clark!" Lois calls out when she notices that the guys are taking a water break. He looks over to her and smiles making his way in her direction. 

"Have you seen Chloe? I lost her somewhere in between class and a bathroom break," she admits with a scowl. It had been a rookie mistake but she had to give her cousin credit, she was fast. Now, armed with a steaming cup of coffee she couldn't wait to get Chloe alone and make her move.

"No, I haven't seen at all, surprisingly. Maybe whatever it is wore off?"

"I doubt it. I'm not that lucky." She mutters the last but Clark still picks up on it—of course he does—but only smiles and she points over to the bleachers to divert his attention.

"Lana's here."

Why had she felt the need to tell him that?—because she's stupid, that's why. Now she had to see how he would react. He once again surprised her by looking over curiously and shooting her a bewildered look.

"Wonder what she's here for?"

"I didn't think Lana was one to sit and watch a bunch of sweaty guys run around crazily and hit each other."

Clark shoots her an amused glare before glancing at the rest of the team in order to determine if he had more time. He seemed satisfied and grabbed Lois' hand, not even realizing he had done so, to drag her over to the bleachers.

"Lana? What are you doing here?" Clark asked as soon as she noticed the two and he didn't let Lois pull her hand from his. Lois could only roll her eyes and she finally stopped trying to twist it free.

"I-I heard that Clark Kent was our new starting quarterback, and I had to see it for myself."

Total lie. I guess Clark's X-Ray vision can't see through everything…

"Really? You came out here to watch me practice?"

Lois groaned softly at his nativity. She could tell Clark was happy for the support but it was obvious that Lana had other reasons for being there. Such as the assistant coach Lois couldn't help but glance at Lana and then over to Jason Teague who was glaring in their direction. Lana just smiles a little awkwardly—probably the guilt about lying peeking through.

"Hey, Kent! Do you want to join us or what?" Jason calls out in the most unfriendly voice Lois had ever heard from him.

"I better go," Clark tells both girls and reluctantly drops Lois' hand.

"It seems like our new assistant coach is working you pretty hard," Lana muses causing Lois to snort in amusement. She then notices Jason taking a swig of green punch from a bottle as he watches then.

Crap.

Hadn't Clark been attacked by him or something? She had no idea how he managed to attack Clark but she didn't want him getting hurt.

"Clark, maybe it's not such a good idea for you—"

"Hey! Hey, Clark! Hi!"

Chloe is running, nearly skipping, toward Clark and Lois. She is wearing a Smallville High cheerleading outfit and waving pom-poms in the air. She is deliriously excited.

"Oh, my God," Lois mutters in shock not quite believing she was seeing her cousin like this and glances at the coffee in her hand. It better still be hot.

"Hi, Clark! Hi! Ta-da! Hi!"

"Chloe. W-what's up with the cheerleader outfit?"

"I found it in the storage locker. I thought, you know, what better way to support my new favorite starting quarterback than to join the cheerleading squad? We can be together all the time!"

"Yeah."

Chloe looks from Clark to Lois and her smile fades.

"What is she doing here?"

"Hey, Kent! Some time today!" Jason calls to Clark from the field where he is talking to the other players.

"Good luck! Bye!"

Chloe blows Clark a kiss and runs to the sideline.

"Oh, my God. She's taken the fast train to Stepford."

"I need you to keep her away from me," Clark pleads with her obviously more than a little flustered.

"With what? A tranquilizer gun?" Lois can't help but tease with a laugh. She couldn't really tell him that her big plan was to dump hot coffee on Chloe. Then she'd have to explain it and really all she could think of right now is how Chloe was annoying the Hell out of her and deserved it. 'What is she doing here?' indeed.

"We'll figure this out after practice, is that ok? Right now I just need to concentrate."

"Okay."

Lois starts to walk away, and Clark goes to the drinks table, pouring a glass of green punch. She suddenly stops and turns to tell him to be careful of Coach Teague and watches as he downs the whole cup and almost immediately bends over in pain, gagging.

She had to physically stop herself from going over to him. She wouldn't be able to explain why she was so concerned or that she knew why he had been affected like that. Why hadn't she remembered that there was kryptonite in the juice and that's how it worked? Because she hadn't known it affected Clark like this the first time around and didn't even connect the pieces.

Jason walks up to him and Lois glares in disapproval as he gets closer and she strains to hear their conversation.

"Kent. What's wrong with you?"

"Coach, I'm not feeling very good. I think I better leave."

"You're gonna walk away because you don't feel well. You know, maybe I was wrong about you, Kent."

She's gonna hit him, next chance she got.

"Coach, I—"

"You know, your team's waiting for you out there. Are you a leader or not?"

Clark gives in, stumbling toward the field for practice. Nate starts to walk toward the field and Jason stops him.

"Tell the rest of the guys they got a green light on Kent. I've been too easy on him."

Nate smiles and runs toward the field excitedly. Jason takes another long drink of the punch.

Lois glares at him from her position but he doesn't notice. He is going to hurt Clark and there is nothing she could do about it. She couldn't remember ever feeling so helpless before. She stalks away to head towards Chloe but can't help but glance back at the field in worry.

Clark is jogging backwards preparing to throw the ball when three players tackle him viciously. Lois winces at the pain he must be feeling and once again turns her face away. Chloe is waving her pom-poms on the sidelines cheering for him.

"It's okay, Clark! It's okay! Just shake it off!"

Nate laughs cruelly and Lois finds her eyes drawn to the field once again as Clark weakly tries to get up and Lois puts him on her shit-list as well. Jason watches him angrily from the sidelines. The cheerleaders are standing in neat rows nearby practicing a cheer as Chloe runs around the field wildly, cheering off the top of her head.

"Clark Kent! Come on! Give me a K! Give me an E! Give me an N! Give me a T!"

Clark is hunched over behind another player, beginning the next play.

"Blue-37! Hike!"

Lois didn't want to watch another play and moved hurriedly toward Chloe not allowing another look toward the field as she heard the play start.

The ball is hiked to Clark, and almost immediately, another player throws himself at Clark's back, knocking him to the ground. Then two other players pounce on him. Chloe gasps.

"Oh! Keep going, baby!"

Baby?

Lois scowled at her cousin but was thankful for the distraction as another play starts.

"Hike!"

Clark passes the ball to another player and starts running toward the yellow players. Two of the yellow players standing side by side hold out their arms, knocking Clark in the chest and toppling him onto his back. Lois heard ever crunch and grunt of pain as if because she wasn't looking her hearing had improved. A player grabs Clark by the face mask of his helmet and pulls him up. Clark grunts in pain.

"Let's hear it for the number one quarterback! Yeah!" Chloe squeals in delight not even realize how Clark is hurting. Lois finally grabs her cousin's arm a bit viciously and begins to drag her away.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to get you back to normal."

"I am normal," Chloe argues and tries to pull her arm away before looking over to watch Clark again in excitement. Lois sighs and can't help but look as well hesitantly.

Clark toss the football and then get tackled from behind by two players. Then at the beginning of the next play, Clark pulls on his helmet and hits it a couple of times, trying to clear his head.

"Blue-17! Hut!"

Before Clark can even move with the ball, two more players pull him to the ground.

"Oh! Uh... It's okay! It's okay! It's just a bruise!" Chloe calls out in encouragement and Lois growls in disbelief.

"That's it! I've had enough of this, we're going Chloe!"

"Why should I go anywhere with you? You're trying to steal my man!"

"If I wanted him, he'd be mine already!" Lois bit out and didn't mind the lie one bit. She wanted Clark Kent with everything she had. She did believe that if things were different and she didn't feel the need to wait she could have him any damn time she wanted. She was that good when it came to Smallville.

She didn't wait for Chloe to do anything but pout and continued to drag her out of sight. Clark would be hurt but fine in the long run and she had to focu on getting Chloe back to normal. She couldn't help but groan when she realized her coffee wasn't even warm now and threw it aside in disgust.

Wait a minute…

"Where's your bag?" Lois asked Chloe in a no nonsense tone hoping that she would be right.

"In the storage room," Chloe answered honestly, saddened by the fact that she couldn't see Clark any longer. Lois hurried, dragging Chloe along, to the storage room.

"And you have candles in it for your romantic tryst with Clark that you planned out, right?" Lois asked hopefully and Chloe looked at her in awe.

"How did you know?"

"I read minds," Lois answered dryly and dumped out the bag. She grimaced as she sorted her way through all of the items Chloe had figured she needed for a romantic night and Chloe watched in confusion. As her fingers finally found the lighter she hand been looking for she grinned triumphantly.

"Now, Chloe, This is going to probably sting a little but I'm sure you'll thank me for it later."

"What?" Chloe asked cautiously and took a step backwards only to be blocked by the wall. Lois smiled a bit evilly and advanced on her…

As Lois walked out of the storage room she wiped her hands over her jeans and couldn't help but smile smugly. Sure, Chloe had put up a good fight but she couldn't take Lois Lane, at least not when she was motivated.

Chloe stumbled out of the storage room, still in the cheerleading outfit but looking more disgusted about being in it.

"Why am I dressed like this and why did you attack me in the storage room?"

"Oh, so you remember me attacking you but you don't remember anything else? Story of my life," Lois muttered but Chloe just laughed a little and pulled on the skirt uncomfortably.

"So where should I start, before or after you threatened my life if I didn't stay away from your man?"

"Oh boy; maybe you should start at the beginning," Chloe suggested with a bewildered grimace. Lois laughed and slung an arm over her shoulders.

* * *

Lois sees Clark walk through the empty hallway and moves quickly to catch up with him. 

"Hey Clark! What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Coach Teague. He just attacked me in my loft."

"After that performance on the field today, I'm not surprised," she says trying to lighten the mood. Maybe it was a bad idea...

Clark stops walking to look at Lois.

"I'm kidding," She tells him honestly and takes his arm to continue walking. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Lex got there in time to scare him off."

Lois steps faltered as she heard the name and tensed. She hadn't even thought of Lex Luthor since she went back in time and didn't really care to think of him. Sure, she had visited Lionel Luthor in prison but it hadn't been the same. Lionel had long since disappeared. Lex had caused Clark so much grief over the years. Clark had been disappointed and let down when he realized that Lex Luthor would never change. He had a meanness in him that was compared to no other, a darkness that overwhelmed any light. She would have to work on actually looking that man in the eye. In the future, she would avoid being in the same city as him if it was up to her…

"Lois?" Clark's soft voice brings her out of her dark thoughts and she takes a deep breath.

"I don't think I trust him Clark," she told him fiercely and he only raised a brow in response but nodded in agreement.

"I know what you mean Lois. I can't trust him fully either, but there is good in him, I know it."

She opened her mouth to argue that point but found she couldn't. This couldn't be what Lara had been talking about. There would be no redemption for Lex Luthor in her eyes.

"Look, the cheerleaders are spiking the water cooler at practice. That's why Chloe and the players are acting so weird," Clark said to change the subject and Lois was thankful.

"Nice work, Smallville. You want to know what they're using?"

"You actually did some investigative reporting?"

Lois leads Clark into the Torch office and can't help smile at his comment. Wouldn't he be surprised to know that she ended up being the best damn reporter the Daily Planet as ever seen? Then again, he'd probably be just as surprised to learn that he was the close second.

"My cousin goes Martha Stewart without the jail time? Yeah. Suddenly, the power of the press interests me. Look what I found."

"Mandy and Rhonda did a science fair project together. So?"

"So that's our smoking gun. According to the chemistry teacher, they researched a hormone called phenylethylamine."

"Phenylethylamine? 'The love molecule,' he reads aloud when Lois hands over a page and frowns in disbelief.

"Exactly."

"So it's a love potion?"

"Yeah, but it didn't work."

"Until they added the meteor rock."

"Hey guys!" Chloe calls out from the doorway and Lois laughs when Clark moves closer to her as if he needed protection.

"Hey Chlo, I was just telling Clark here what I found," Lois greeted and Clark gave her a quizzical stare and then waited for Chloe to rant and rave.

She only nodded with a smile.

"We have to find a way to reverse the effect," He pointed out still looking at Chloe bewildered.

"Well, it must wear off at some point. Otherwise they wouldn't keep juicing the football players and Chloe here would be threatening my life again," Lois pointed out dryly causing Chloe to glare in her direction but then laugh it off.

"We don't have enough time. What if another player goes into a jealous rage and hurts someone?"

"Wait a minute. You drank some of it, too. I saw you. How come you're not going all love slave?" Lois asked just loving to see him squirm for an excuse.

"I don't know. What's your point?"

"That science report's in Mandy's faux Prada bag. Presumably it can tell us how to reverse this, right? And presumably, you're infected," She points out and moves to stand even closer to him becoming flirtatious. "The cheerleaders are having a pool party tonight. How do you look in a swimsuit, Clark?"

"Pretty damn good," Chloe mutters and as both Lois and Clark jerk their heads around to look in her direction she held her hands up in defense. "What, it's so true! I don't have to be affected by some love drug to see that!"

Lois shrugs slightly and nods in agreement to her before meeting Clark's eyes with her own. Clark looks at Lois, shaking his head, about to refuse her. She smiles at him, refusing to let him say no. Her and Chloe had agreed earlier, after all, that they would have to pretend that the juice just wore off on Chloe because Lois had no way of explaining how she knew that heat would get rid of the drug's effects, especially after her pouring hot coffee on her idea hadn't worked.

* * *

The whole pool room at the high school is decorated for the party and there are football players and cheerleaders everywhere. Some of them are sitting in the pool on inflatable furniture while others stand around the pool socializing. One of the football players jumps into the pool with a big splash. There are flashing lights and loud music. 

Some of the other students are gathered beyond the pool where three football players are wearing grass skirts and coconut bikini tops and dancing the hula. Clark, Lois and Chloe enter with identical frowns on their features. This whole cheerleaders rule the world thing had gone on way too long. Lois couldn't help but notice that he did look 'damn good'. He is wearing a swimsuit and a T-shirt and has a towel draped over his shoulder. Then Lois notices a purse on a table near Mandy. Mandy has her back them.

"Okay, Clark. Faux Prada bag, folder, show time."

"Lois, I don't think—"

"Go," Chloe says with a helpful shove in the right direction.

"Lois—"

Lois gives Clark one last shove and he gives in. She didn't like the idea of shoving him in the direction of that bimbo but she planned to not let it go as far as last time. At least, she hoped it wouldn't turn out like last time. That was disgusting.

"Okay."

Clark continues walking toward Mandy and looks back at Lois nervously. She gestures for him to keep going, and he does. He walks in front of Mandy.

"Hi, Mandy."

"Hey, Clark. Welcome to the party."

There is an awkward silence and Clark glances over Mandy's shoulder to Lois. Mandy starts to turn around to see what Clark is looking at, and to prevent her from seeing Lois, Clark quickly takes Mandy by the shoulders and leans in to kiss her. Lois glares but starts to creep toward them along with Chloe. Clark ends the kiss, surprised at himself, and Mandy is smiling. Lois would have been mad if she didn't know that he was pretty much ordered to do this by them.

"I'm devoted to you."

Mandy looks him over, lifts up the front of his shirt and looks at his tight stomach and Lois growls slightly. She had been doing a lot of that lately, growling. Chloe looked at her in slight amazement and amusement, probably because she had growled but just shook her head with a smile.

"Yeah, I can work with this."

Mandy takes Clark by the hand, grabs her purse from the table, and leads Clark away from the swimming pool. Lois and Chloe turn away so that Mandy doesn't see her. As Mandy and Clark are leaving the room, Clark turns back to Lois.

"Lois!"

Lois curses under her breath and Chloe gestures to Clark to stay with Mandy. Mandy leads him into the empty locker room where she immediately starts kissing him. Without ever breaking the kiss, she leads him to a weight machine and pushes him against it. When Mandy's back is to the entrance, Lois enters the room and grimaces when she sees Clark and Mandy kissing. Chloe motions that she'll be in the next room and smirks when Lois just mutters at her. Lois goes to another weight machine and watches from behind it.

"Oh, you're so strong."

"Y-You're so beautiful."

"I'm so grossed out," Lois says quietly to herself.

Mandy and Clark continue to kiss and Mandy takes the towel off Clark's shoulder and throws it behind her where it hits Lois in the face. Mandy leads Clark to a bench and sits him down on it, then straddles his lap. Her purse is still over her shoulder. Lois yanks the towel off her head and shoots a fierce glare in their direction. Why were they even doing this again? She should have just told Clark that her hot coffee plan had been a success and just been done with it.

"So, tell me. If you like me so much, what are you gonna do for me?"

"I'll buy you dinner."

Mandy kisses Clark again. He glances over Mandy's shoulder at Lois who seems less than impressed by Clark's answer.

"I'll cook. I'll cook you dinner," He tries again and Lois nods to confirm that it was a good plan.

"Oh, that is so hot!"

Mandy attacks Clark's neck with her kisses. Clark carefully slips the bag off of her shoulder and tosses it to the floor, pointing at it wildly for Lois to pick it up.

"You seem distracted."

"Um, I'm just nervous."

"Why?"

"I've, um, never done what I think we're about to do before."

Lois sneaks around the edge of the room, coming closer to the bag. Mandy smiles at Clark and begins kissing him again. Lois is inches away from grabbing the bag when suddenly Mandy stands up and backs up toward the bag. Lois scampers away and hides under the coach's desk as Mandy picks up the bag and drags Clark over to the desk. Mandy lies down on her back on the desk and pulls Clark down over her to kiss him.

Clark succeeds in getting the bag a second time and drops it off the desk where it lands on Lois's head.

"Ow."

"What?"

"Oh! Oooh!" Clark covers up and Lois rolls her eyes. It was obious he was just acting but this girl couldn't see through that or just didn't care.

"Oh! Oooh!" Mandy mimics him.

Bitch.

Mandy starts to lift Clark's shirt. Lois is on the floor opening the bag when Clark's shirt lands on her head. She pulls it off, disgusted and annoyed and gets out from under the desk with the bag in hand. Mandy is too busy with Clark to see Lois go. Lois leaves the room and goes into a boiler room next door. She hears Mandy laugh.

"Gross."

"You got it?" Chloe asks curiously with a laugh.

Lois opens the bag and pulls out the folder.

"You know I did, I saw you watching! It's not funny!"

"Of course not," Chloe assures not even trying to cover up her chuckle.

"I am completely grossed out here Chlo!" Lois exclaims indignantly and Chloe just laughs harder.

"I can see that."

"I think I need a shower," she mutters to reiterate just how awful that experience is. Chloe just nods in agreement.

"That bitch is in there—you know—and we don't even need this stupid portfolio!... Do you think we can go back and stop, stop that now?"

"Sure Lois," Chloe reassures with a curious smile and follows as

Lois storms back into the room.

"So, how far do you want to go here?" Mandy asks on a purr just as Chloe and Lois enter.

"Right about there would be great, thanks," Lois states matter-of-factly and Clark scrambles to get away, he hurries off the desk, grabs his shirt, and runs to Lois and Chloe.

"I can't believe you, Clark."

"Oh, please! Do you know how pathetic it is that you had to resort to chemicals to control your boyfriend?" Lois points out meanly.

"I'm sick of being a distant second to a football."

"So you created a bunch of psycho nut-jobs," Lois begins then looks at Chloe with a slight wince, "No offense."

"None taken," Chloe assures as Clark puts on his shirt and moves closer to Lois' side.

"What, uh, what took you so long? Did you find the cure?"

"Yeah, we worked out our own little experiment," she says truthfully and when Clark just looks at her in confusion she sighs and explains. "I accidentally burned, uh—someone and she snapped out of it."

"Just like Dan snapped out of it when the gun heated up."

"Exactly," Lois and Chloe say together, relieved that he wasn't

asking questions about whom that someone Lois burned had been.

"So it's the heat."

"Yeah," Lois agrees with a nod.

Chloe turns around.

"Uh, you guys, where's Mandy?"

Mandy is gone.

"Oh, nice, Clark. You know, you only had one thing to do," Lois blames and he looks at her incredulously but can't help but grin slyly and argue back.

"Me? You're closer to the door."

"Okay, so it's automatically my fault?"

Mandy walks back into the room.

"Uh, guys, guys, guys, guys, guys," Chloe interrupts them.

"Oh, hey. We were just talking about you," Lois comments dismissively when she turns around to see Mandy.

"Yeah? Well, now you're gonna wish you never crossed me."

"Yeah? What are you gonna do, cheer us to death?"

Several large football players, including Nate the guy from before, that made it to her shit-list, enter the room wielding baseball bats.

"Oh, great. Here comes the love squad," Lois announced dryly not intimidated in the least.

The players stare at Clark, Lois, and Chloe threateningly.

"Let's get out of here. Come on, Lois," Chloe orders and she and Clark start to leave, but Lois stays where she is, staring at Mandy and glaring at Nate.

"Bring it on, hotshot," She taunts him, wanting to be able to just know him down at least once.

Nate steps forward and swings his bat at Lois. She ducks to dodge it, then kicks him in the stomach, sending him falling back against the other football players.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark exclaims and moves back to her side ready to fight with her.

"Hey, Clark, do you got any explosions up your sleeve?" She asks hoping he would get the hint that he needed to do something in this situation. Lois is looking at the ceiling above the players. Clark follows her gaze and sees that she is looking at a pipe that says "Caution Hot".

"You're gonna pay, bitch!"

Nate gets back to his feet. Clark uses his heat vision on the pipe, heating it up until it bursts and a cloud of steam jets down onto the players, knocking them and Mandy to the floor.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" Lois asks, knowing that she should be curious, but not really liking playing dumb.

"I guess the pipe must've broken or something. Pretty lucky, huh?"

"Yeah. You better hope for that kind of luck tomorrow on the field."

Clark rolls his eyes at Lois's mock insult and she laughs and takes his arm with hers to walk out.

* * *

As the players run onto the field, the crowd stands up and claps. Lana stands up, and Chloe stands up, somewhat unsure of herself, but following the example. Lois stays seated until Chloe pulls her up to her feet and she can't help but roll her eyes. The truth was, she was excited to see Clark play. He actually looked happy and if he needed football because he thought it made him belong than who was she to begrudge him that? Clark's parents and Lex stand as well, watching. On the sidelines, Jason takes off his sunglasses, swaying from side to side nervously. The players are in position. 

"42! 42! 29! Hut!"

The clock starts counting down from seven as the ball is hiked to Clark. The two teams crash against each other as Clark backs up, keeping Nate in his sights. In slow motion, Clark throws the ball. It's kind of funny that Clark would hold no grudges with the rest of the players. They had really given him a beating the other day.

Lois watches the ball fly as the clock ticks down from 4 to 3. The ball spirals through the blue sky looking proud and majestic as Nate runs across the field and Clark watches him as the clock ticks from 2 to 1.

Still in slow motion, Nate jumps high into the air and catches the ball just as the clock reaches 0. Nate lands on his feet and a whistle blows.

The crowd jumps to its feet and screams with joy.

"Unbelievable! The Crows win! The Crows win!" The announcer exclaims excitedly.

Nate throws the ball down at the ground ecstatically as Clark takes off his helmet and smiles up at his friends and family in the bleachers. Martha smiles back at him. Lex looks proud and not at all surprised. Lana, Chloe, and Lois cheer and clap. Jonathan looks at Clark seriously, with pride in his eyes. Lois gives him a wink when she notices his gaze last longer on her and he smiled back.

All of the players on the team surround Clark, patting him on the back and messing up his hair. The players lift Clark up onto their shoulders and carry him off the field.

hr

Clark switches his bag from one shoulder to the other, looking tired and unhappy as he walks across the field. Lois walks up to him from behind.

"Nice throw, stud," Lois teases and he turns to smile at her before glancing away and frowning slightly.

"Thanks."

"What's with the sad face Clark, you're a hero today," She told him with a nudge to his shoulder. You're my hero every, she thought but didn't dare say it.

"You're leaving," he told her bluntly not even pretending to hide that it was affecting him.

"Apparently the dean got a call from a very prominent benefactor with the initials L.L. They did the white man power dance and shazam. I'm officially a freshman."

"That's great!"

"Don't pretend you had nothing to do with it. Why would Lex call out of the blue on my behalf?"

"I knew that it was what you wanted."

No it's not.

"What I wanted," She murmurs not able to disagree, not because she didn't want to, but rather couldn't.

"That's what's most important."

"You know, if I could describe my time here in one word, it would be 'weird'," She says to lighten the mood and he nods. "I look forward to the relative normalcy of the big city. But don't worry. I'll visit."

"Is that a promise or a threat?"

They smile at each other teasingly and Lois steps closer to face him.

"I don't make promises lightly," She tells him seriously and reaches up to gently place her hand on his cheek. He leans into her touch but looks at her to explain. "Promises are too easy to make and just as easy to break. I don't usually make them."

"You will come back?"

"I'll be back, that I promise you."

She leans forward slowly, almost hesitantly, until her lips lightly brush the corner of his lips in a tender kiss. He stood frozen, unsure if she wanted more than that but not willing to scare her away by taking more. She allowed her lips to linger slightly before pulling away completely with a shaky sigh.

"See you around... Smallville," Lois says with a smile and turns to walk away only glancing back at him once. He holds his ground, wanting to call her back but not strong enough to do so.

She would be back.

* * *

Hope you liked it! It's actually really long...my bad 


	6. Run

Hey guys! Here's the next bit! Sorry it took ma so long. I'm not too sure about how well this fits but eh. I think it worked out. Hope you like it! Review please! Woot! erm...yah.

* * *

**Chapter 5: **Run

* * *

Lois stumbled into her cluttered dorm room with a heavy sigh and immediately tossed off her shoes randomly before heading in the direction of her bed. She had just spent most of her morning and lunch hour at a biology lab. It was extremely boring and whoever decided that college students should have to deal with biology for hours at a time and in the early morning should die. They should be taken to the field and shot—or even better, be dragged out of bed at five in the morning and forced to play football! That should kill a geek! 

"Yeah," She agreed with herself aloud and nodded before rolling her eyes when she realized that she had been talking to herself. This is what college science does to a person! It bores you to tears with lecture and then when the professor tells you to use the chopsticks to 'pretend' you're a bird and fish the fake bugs out of a water filled aquarium in order to experiment on…natural selection, you can't help but start talking to yourself!

"I'm going to go crazy," Lois muttered while pulling her jacket off to slip a more comfortable sweatshirt on instead. She had decided after the first extremely long day at Met-U that her time would probably go a lot faster if she actually went to class. That is, at least until she decided how it would be best to return to Smallville.

Who the hell decided that science was so damn essential to a student's future? He should be killed too. Lois knew for a fact that she had never used biology whilst investigating for the Planet in her entire career. She usually just left the science mumbo jumbo in a story to Clark and that seemed to work just fine.

Why change a good thing?

Pulling the hood over her head she dropped onto her bed with another sigh. It was no 'Clark Kent bed', but it was nice none-the-less. She couldn't help but think, as she pulled the big quilt over her legs that the only thing missing was a farm boy…

The knock on her door had her cursing and she glared slightly in the direction before rolling over and covering her face with her pillow. Whoever it was could just go away. She wasn't in the mood for company and it couldn't possibly be worth any of her sleeping time…

"Lois?"

Clark?

She lifted the pillow slowly off her head and listened for his voice once again. It could just be wishful thinking. He had never visited her before. When she heard her name in his voice again she was scrambling out of her bed. After tripping over her carelessly thrown shoes she got to her feet and shot a glance around her messy room.

He'd get used to her messiness eventually. There was really nothing he could do about it anyway and he had learned that very quickly in the beginning of their relationship. With a shrug she flung open the door and noticed at once Clark's surprise and then amusement at her suddenness. She glared but at his smile she couldn't help but toss him a casual one in return.

"Hi," she greeted trying to be cool, calm and as nonchalant as she could manage.

"Hi."

That was it. All she was going to get out of him. She narrowed her eyes slightly and peered up at him determined to make him continue the conversation and explain what he was doing in Metropolis.

He said nothing.

So she said nothing.

His smile only grew brighter.

More silence.

Her glare grew darker.

More silence…

"What are you doing here?" She asked unable to control her curiosity and impatience. So she had lost this game. She had no clue what the game was but from his grin he knew he had won. She had told him how much she hated uncomfortable silences so in a sense he had cheated anyway…

"I'm in the city for my Dad's doctors appointment," He explained and stepped passed her into the room without asking. She was unable to hide her smile now. She had been grumpy ever since leaving Smallville, the town and the farm boy, and it had to have been bad for even Lois to notice. She had already decided to go back and visit in a week or so but apparently Clark couldn't wait that long either. Her day was looking brighter already.

"I thought I'd drop by to see you—is that ok?" He asked quickly not able to hide his insecurity and Lois laughed softly at his worry.

"It's ok."

She saw him let out a breath and grinned before turning back to close her door in the face of her nosey neighbors. They had been trying to get the scoop on her for a while now and Clark being there only added to the rumors. Not that she'd mind to have her name linked with his, but he did get embarrassed easily.

"How have you been?" He asked after giving her room a glance over before shaking his head and thankfully not commenting. She moved quickly back into her bed and let out a content sigh when he sat on the edge by her covered feet.

"Bored."

He laughed at her simple answer and pushed his shoes off before stretching out across from her. Lois merely raised her brows at his confident move but halted any attempt he made to get up with a hand on his jean covered leg.

"How is your dad?" She asked after a moment of comfortable silence unable to hide the worry from her tone. She was determined to make sure Jonathon Kent stayed healthy. She still blamed herself for not saying anything to him when he would skip an appointment or forget his pills while running for senator. Clark had assured her that it wasn't her fault but she wouldn't let it happen again.

"He says he feels fine but we'll see after his appointment," he said and sat up to steal one of her pillows. She glared as her head hit the wall but let it slide and folded her pillow so she could see him better. She could hear the concern in his voice and didn't know what to say to ease it so she'd let him get away with stealing.

"So what have you been up to?"

"I just got back from Biology lab—it started at 6:00 am by the way—so you are a welcome sight Smallville. Maybe we should get lunch?"

"Sure."

"When do you have to be back to the hospital?"

"We've got time," he assured with a grin and rolled off the bed. "We're going to the Sharks game after but I'm sure I could spare you at least an hour," Clark teased and reached out to pull her out of bed.

"Maybe I didn't mean we should go right now," Lois complained but let him pull her to her feet when her stomach let out a fierce growl ruining any protest she could make. She grumbled at his laughter and rooted around for her shoes.

"I was reorganizing," she explained her chaotic room when she noticed him carefully stepping around her clutter.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied with a smile and lifted her jacket from the floor to show her missing shoe.

"Thanks," she said curtly and quickly shoved it on and did up the laces. Before she even had time to fully rise he was pulling her up and towards the door.

"So, do you want to brave the cafeteria?" She asked with a waggle of her brows and he laughed and threw an arm over her shoulder.

"I think I can handle it."

"I bet."

She couldn't help but lean into him further but refrained from wrapping her arms around him. They were currently stuffed in her 'hoodie' sweatshirt pocket and that's just where they would stay for now.

It didn't take them long to walk to the cafeteria and even with her threats to his stomach Lois had to admit that most days the food was actually quite good.

"Hey Aldey," she greeted the older woman at the front of the room and began to hand her a swipe card but the old lady moved quick and was around the counter before Lois could blink.

"Lois!" The woman smiled in greeting and Clark looked astonished as Lois gave her a little hug in return.

"We missed you this week, I hope you're feeling better," Lois said with a soft smile and Aldey only sighed and blushed happy that Lois noticed she had been gone.

"Aren't you a dear," she told her and moved to return to her working position. "I just had a touch of the flu but I'm fine. Now who is this hunk?"

"Clark meet Aldey, she's just about my favorite person here," Lois introduced and Clark smiled and held out his hand in greeting. It was firmly shaken and he blushed as Aldey didn't hide her impressed smile.

"He's visiting from Smallville," Lois explained and once again held out her food card. This time Aldey swiped it in her machine and sent them both a wink before motioning them in, not even asking Clark to pay.

"Have a good lunch dears; I hear the tacos are good today."

"Thanks Aldey! See you tomorrow!"

"Bye!"

As they walked over to the buffet line Lois could feel Clark's eyes on her. She sent him a look and shoved a tray into his stomach when he titled his head in curiosity. Clark wasn't prepared to be hit in the stomach and let out a surprised grunt. He snatched the tray away and began piling his plate with lettuce and vegetables.

"I just think it's funny that you're friends with the Cafeteria woman."

"I'm smart, that's what I am! She let you in for free didn't she?"

"Well, yes but—"

"No buts Clark, you're getting a free meal out of my friendship with that sweet old lady!"

"Thanks Lois but why do you—"

"She's the nicest old lady that I've ever met! Plus it's a good idea to know the people who make your food."

"True."

"I'd stick to the tacos if I were you," Lois commented slyly and began to put her meal together. He looked up at her in confusion and she just wagged a finger at him.

"You've got to learn to read people Smallville! Aldey basically told us that all the other entrees for today were crap and to stick with the tacos. Now I don't know about you, but I trust her."

Clark laughed in disbelief but dropped the enchilada he was holding none-the-less. Obviously even his super stomach didn't want to temp the Met-U Cafe. He quickly made a couple tacos and followed her to an empty table. He chose to sit next to her instead of across and Lois could only smile happily. He didn't even seem to notice his action and that just made her day all the better. It felt as if they were in college together, as it had when they had been about to start dating. It was amazing how far they had come already, as it had taken them years before.

Not that she was complaining, Lois thought and took a big bite of her taco.

* * *

"Hurry up Smallville, we don't want to make your Dad have to wait for you!" Lois ordered and seemed to all but drag Clark into Metropolis Day Clinic. They spot Jonathon almost instantly talking to a doctor and when he turns to look at them he flashes a happy smile. Clark releases a sigh in relief, sure that his father was okay and Lois couldn't help but mimic it.

"Hey Lois! Good to see you again."

"You too Mr. Kent," She returns with a smile and they make their way out of the clinic and toward the Kent's truck. Clark had offered to give Lois a ride back to campus, partly because he had wanted to spend more time with her and also because she had agreed to walk to the clinic with him if he did. Jonathan looks at a slip of paper in his hand.

"Ah, jeez."

"The doctor said you're doing great, right?" Clark asked not sure as to what his father was groaning about.

"Yeah, right before he gave me this new prescription. Red ones. At least they'll go nicely with my pink, blue, and green ones I'm already taking."

"I'd rather have more colors in the medicine cabinet than not have you around."

"I just didn't want to have to worry your mother with anymore of this stuff. That's all."

"Dad, we both worry about you."

"Let them worry Mr. Kent, it's what their good at," Lois commented with a teasing glint in her eye and Clark nudged her playfully away from him.

"Enough worrying for now though, don't you and I have a game to catch?"

"Metropolis Sharks, 50-yard line. Lex really came through this time."

"Look, son, I understand what that friendship means to you, but please be careful." Jonathon commanded and Lois couldn't agree more.

"I'm not going into this with my eyes closed. He wants another chance to prove he's changed," Clark said cryptically and shot a look at Lois. She looked him straight in the eye as if to agree with what his father had said but looked away quickly as they stopped at the corner of an intersection.

"Clark—"

"Dad, this is my senior year. I don't want to have to worry about Lex or any of that. I just want to live a normal life, hang out with my friends, and play football."

"All right; why don't you go get the truck? We don't want to miss the kickoff and we've still got to drop Lois off on the way."

"I could walk," Lois offered knowing that it wasn't that far of a trip anyway.

Jonathan hands the keys to Clark and gives Lois a playful push in his son's direction with a chuckle. Clark and Lois walk around the corner as Jonathan picks up a magazine from a stand next to him and starts to browse through it. As Lois and Clark reach the truck she feels Clark tense next to her and immediately knows what's happening.

"I'll be right back Lois!" He calls out as he turns the corner again and Lois doesn't even try to question him. She counts to five slowly before running after him unsure as to what she'll see.

Lois watches as Clark super speeds toward the corner leaving bluish-white ripples in the air behind him, but before he can get to Jonathan, someone gets there first, running even faster than Clark and leaving behind red ripples of air.

He pulls Jonathan out of the way just as the truck gets to the magazine stand and crashes into it, easily plowing it over. The truck finally comes to a stop on the sidewalk. With normal speed, Clark runs to Jonathan who is now lying down on the street.

"Dad! Dad, you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Your mother would be visiting me in the hospital again if you hadn't pushed me out of the way."

"Dad, it wasn't me. I saw someone who can move like I can. I couldn't believe it. He saved you."

"Are you ok?" Lois exclaims as she runs over to them from her hiding place. Jonathon just nods in reply and he puts his hand in his back pocket and only to find that it is empty.

"Whoever it is, not only did he save my life, you guys. He also stole my wallet."

"That Jerk," Lois muttered and wondered why her first thought as to who was responsible for the theft was none other than Bart—AKA The Flash—Allen. Clark had told her that he had met Bart when he was in high school and he was faster than Clark, only when running of course.

"You should probably call in those credit cards Mr. Kent," Lois informed him and shot Clark a look. He looked confused and so she could assume that he had no idea what had just happened. "I wouldn't put it past the guy to check into a five star hotel using your money."

"The guy?"

"Sure," Lois answered, not really answering at all but flashed Clark a quick smile and he just shook his head with a grin.

"Well whoever he is, he's got the game tickets. I had them in my wallet," Jonathon said with something as close to a pout as Lois had ever seen, before quickly changing his expression to anger.

"Maybe you should head home then Dad, you're ok to go by yourself right?"

"Of course I am!"

"Great. Than I'll give Chloe a call and have her trace the card as it's used."

"Great idea Smallville!" Lois exclaimed happy they were on the same page. She had been just about to suggest the plan herself.

"I'm not too sure son…"

"Don't worry Mr. Kent, I'll keep him in line," Lois reassured with a grin and Jonathon shot her an amused frown.

"That's what I'm worried about."

Lois only laughed but gave Clark a little shove that knocked him into his father. They both gave her the same fierce glare and she saw through them immediately and laughed again.

"Go on," She said leaving them alone for any goodbye they wanted to have in private. The last thing she could hear was Jonathon telling Clark to 'check in', and with the way the man kept emphasizing the words Lois realized almost immediately that he meant personally.

I know Clark can't fly yet, I had helped him perfect that talent before…

"Why don't you give Chloe a call?" Clark called out to her before they turned the corner and didn't wait for her to agree. She narrowed her eyes but took out her cell and began to dial with a mutter.

So he can't fly, but how fast can he run...?

"What do you want Lois?"

Well that wasn't a very nice greeting; Lois thought with a frown and held out her phone to make sure she called the right person. It says Chloe…

"Chloe? You haven't had any strange Koolaide to drink, have you?"

"Of course not Lois!"

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Lois asked suspiciously and Chloe only sighed in exasperation.

"Am I hitting you with a wrench in a jealous rage?"

"Well, no."

"I actually answered your call."

"Yeah…"

"Well I wouldn't have answered if I was under the influence of some psycho drug, I didn't last time."

"Oh."

"Lois what did she say," Clark asked softly from her side and she just waved him away impatiently.

"How are you since this morning?" Chloe asked with frustration in her tone but Lois could also detect the amusement as she changed the subject.

Oh yah, that's right. She had forgotten that she called Chlo earlier before Bio Lab. Woke her up in fact, and she hadn't been too happy about it either. She hadn't needed to wake up for school for another hour yet and actually hung up on her. Lois called back right away of course...

"Lois?"

"What?"

"You called me…" Chloe trailed off with a laugh in her voice that Lois wasn't quite sure she appreciated. Maybe she had been calling Chloe a little too much but she was just so bored! It couldn't be helped.

"Well, Smallville was in town and came to visit and Mr. Kent's wallet was stolen so we were thinking you could trace the card transactions so we can track the thief down."

"Who said anything about you coming along? It's too dangerous Lois," Clark stated interrupting her conversation and she paused to glare at him.

"If you think I'm not coming along you're delusional Kent."

That seemed to strike a cord in him and she could hear Chloe's laughter on the other line. Lois shoved the phone at him and he just gave her a strange look.

"Give her the credit card numbers."

And miraculously he did. He had actually thought of that himself and she smiled happily at his quick thinking once again. He was already thinking like her partner.

"Ok, thanks Chloe. Call back when you find anything out."

Lois held out her hand for her phone and Clark slapped it down none to gently with a smirk.

"You called Chloe at 5:30 in the morning?"

"Shut it."

"I think you miss us," he pointed out smugly and she made sure to hit his arm and could only wish for a little chunk of Kryptonite so it actually hurt him. Just a little green rock in a ring or something, was that really too much to ask for?

He smiled at her again and she could feel her stomach flutter and her face soften. He's got to stop doing that. She quickly masked her appreciation of his smile and started walking away. He trailed behind happily and she wouldn't have put it past him to start whistling.

Stupid farm boys…

* * *

Lois walked into the hotel with a huff, annoyed at one Clark Kent. Stay outside my butt, she thought with a fierce glare at no one in particular as she stomped out of the elevator. He had handed her the phone to talk to Chloe again and she hadn't realized it was a distraction until she noticed he was gone.

He hadn't expected her to follow him; she realized when she was knocked over by two gusts of wind and flashes of red and blue in the hallway leading to the room. Otherwise he might not have run after Bart. Or at least, she assumed that the gusts were them running. There really was no other explanation. Now she just had to go back down to where he left her and wait for him to come back and play dumb once again.

She hated waiting.

Lois grumbled and picked herself up off the floor. Her butt hurt now, just perfect. She had already decided to head to Smallville for the weekend and a sore rear end was just perfect for a long drive home. She quickly made her way back to the front of the hotel knowing that if she didn't hurry Clark would question where she was and then she'd have to explain that she was in the hallway and of course she hadn't seen anything.

She really hated playing dumb!

"Oh sure Clark. It was probably that freak wind again. You know the one that you and Chloe would always blame everything on. Like the moving tractors and the barn doors falling out of the sky and almost hitting me…Of course! That "freak wind" really explains so much—"

"Lois?" Clark asked from behind with a bewildered frown and she turned with widened eyes. That had sure been quick. She really should have figured he would be.

"So did you find him?" She asked quickly so that he didn't have time to ask her who she was talking to and what she had been talking about.

"Yeah, but he got away."

"You let him get away?"

"Well, he was fast! You can't even see him when he moves Lois," he defended.

Yeah, yeah, Lois thought at his excuse. Clark could see him but apparently he couldn't catch him. Bart never lets him live that one down either.

"Ok, don't get all touchy," she teased slyly and gave his arm a little punch. He puffed out his chest and she had to turn away to hide her smile at his show of pride. She could tell that he was disappointed that he hadn't caught the guy but also amazed at what he had seen.

"I'm not! I'm just mad he stole from my family and got away with it! He's just a kid Lois!"

"Oh yeah?"

"That's right. He had all these fake IDs, everyone with a different name: Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, and Wally West."

Definitely the Flash, that's for sure.

"So who is he really?"

"He said Bart."

"And you believed him?"

"Yes I did. He also seemed alone and kind of sad…"

"And you got this from a five minute conversation?"

"Well, sure!"

"You're a strange one Clark Kent," she told him with a smile and a shake of her head. He blushed slightly in response.

"I've got to head back to Smallville," he told her regretfully and because he sounded sad about it Lois decided to let him slide and not ask how he planned to get back. That or make him sit in the car with her for hours as she drove back.

"Ok Clark, I'll see you soon," She told him honestly and squeezed his forearms before stepping away from him completely.

"Good luck in Biology—"he said slyly and narrowly escaped her swat with a laugh.

"Go get some sleep," he ordered in a voice that expected to be listened to and brushed a finger down her cheek before turning to walk away. Lois just smiled at his back and let out a happy sigh. She really needed to get kicked out of college again—or maybe she could just drop out. It would make getting back in a whole lot easier.

For now though, she was going to get a move on to Smallville.

* * *

The marquee on the Talon says "Grand Re-Opening." Inside, the room is filled with customers buying coffee, talking, and having a good time. Lois watches from her position beside Chloe with a smile as Clark and Bart enter and walk toward the bar. She figured he had to show up some time.

"Dude, that girl in the black bikini was totally checking you out."

"No, she wasn't," he says embarrassed.

"Look, the girl was eyeing you like you were a sno-cone, dude. You should've got her number."

"I can't just walk up to a girl on the beach and get her phone number. Besides I wasn't interested all right?"

"Yeah, well lucky for you..." He trails off and slaps a piece of paper against Clark's chest. "...I can. She says to call her next time you're in Miami."

Clark takes the paper with a frown and crumples it up before handing it back to Bart with a smile. Lois nods approvingly from a distance

"Sshh! I can't just go run back down to Miami," Clark looks around to see if anyone heard and finally spottied Lois. His eyes brighten almost immediately and he gives her a smile before turning his attention back to Bart.

"Why not?"

"Because it's—"

"It's what? Too much fun, Clark? Come on, dude, nobody's ever died from it."

There is a burst of air and suddenly Bart is standing on the other side of Clark holding a large cookie that he has already taken a bite of. Lois wouldn't have even noticed if she hadn't been paying so close of attention to them both.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm eating a cookie, dude, I'm starving."

"You can't just take whatever you want. My mom runs this place," Clark says as he tosses the cookie onto the bar. Chloe finally notices them and shoots Lois an amused look before pulling her toward Clark and Bart.

"Look, man. There's a line. I don't do lines," Bart explains annoyed.

"What's up, Kent? I thought you'd still be playing detective."

"I thought I'd leave that one up to the authorities," Clark says shooting a look at Bart and moves to stand closer to Lois.

"Never would've caught him, anyway. Now I see why you didn't want Florida girl's number Clark," Bart says with a smile at Lois and then focuses his attention on Chloe. Lois raised a brow at his comment and then laughed as he gave Chlo the look as she finally glances at him.

"Chloe, this is my friend Bart. He's from..."

"The future."

"Really?" Chloe asks skeptically but still intrigued and Los groaned when she realized what was soon to come. This line was famous, she had heard the story so many times from Chloe and Bart that she couldn't help but groan again.

"Yeah, I ran all the way back in time to tell you that we're still in love a hundred years from now."

Chloe laughs out loud, delighted. Lois looked at her cousin in astonishment. She had actually fell for a line like that? Well, at least she looked interested. This was probably a good thing. Maybe she'll stay interested for the time being.

"Bart..." Clark tries to warn noticing the twinkle in his new friend's eyes but Bart doesn't pay him any attention.

"What's your favorite kind of flower, Chloe?"

"Uh, tulips."

Chloe grins at Clark. While her head is turned, Bart super speeds away and then back, holding an orange tulip. Chloe looks at Bart in astonishment.

"How did you do that?"

"Magic," he says and gives her the flower.

"Wow."

"You want to see some more?"

Chloe looks from the flower to Bart with wonder and Lois just laughs at how awestruck she looks.

Martha comes out of the backroom with a tray full of food and Lois moves toward her quickly to help. Martha looks amused as Lois relieves her of the tray and moves to place it where it belongs. Just because she hasn't worked there in years doesn't mean she didn't still know how.

"Thanks Lois."

"No problem Mrs. Kent."

Clark just shrugs at his mom's look and smiles before walking between Chloe and Bart on his way to Martha. He pats Bart on the shoulder in a friendly manner but looks at Bart sternly.

"Knock it off," He states firmly and heads over to his mom.

"Your dad called. Is that the boy who robbed him?"

"Yeah. His name's Bart Allen."

"Why is he here?"

"Right now he's hitting on Chlo," Lois comments coming to stand beside them with a grin.

"I think he's lonely, wants to be my friend," Clark answers at the same time and looks bemusedly at Lois.

"Good. Maybe you can talk some sense into him."

"I'm trying."

"Oh, um, Lex is looking for you, sweetheart. He asked if you'd stop by the mansion. He said it's important."

"Okay, but I probably shouldn't leave Bart alone."

Martha looks at Bart who is seated at a table with Chloe engaged in a lively conversation.

"I really don't think he'll notice you're gone."

"I'll watch over them Smallville while I help Martha with the orders," Lois tells him assuredly and Martha just looks to her confused but happy for the help before she walks away with Lois in tow. Clark looks over at Bart and Chloe. He laughs disbelievingly and Lois couldn't help but think that she loved to hear him laugh. She was going soft, that was all there was to it. She really needed to harden up a bit.

* * *

"Hey Mr. Kent! Look what I brought!" Lois exclaimed while coming in through the kitchen door. She had spent some time at the Talon helping Martha but when Chloe had commented that Lois should be dead after getting up so early she had sent her away. No matter, it was the perfect time to help of Mr. K out. He seemed to be a little depressed and she could tell how much he wanted Martha and Clark around. They just couldn't see it yet but they would soon. For now, she figured video games would help his mood.

"Hey Lois, what are you doing here?"

"I dropped by the Talon earlier to help out but was sent home with orders to sleep. Martha said I could take Clark's bed while I'm here but I'm in the 'I'm so tired that I'm not' phase of sleep deprivation and so I thought it'd be fun to play some games."

He looked like he followed that little speech pretty well and smiled when she held up a Nintendo 64.

"I stopped by a pawn shop on my way from Metropolis and got this baby plus some games for only twenty bucks."

"I've never played before."

"You'll love it! Just let me set this thing up and we'll play some football or Mario or something. Why don't you pick a game?"

"Ok," he said with a laugh and Lois couldn't hold back a smile. He seemed happier already but she could only hope that Lana held up her end of the deal and talked some sense into Mrs. Kent. If all went according to plan, she'd be home in about twenty minutes. Just enough time to beat the crap out of him in football, she thought evilly as he handed her the game. He didn't know what he was in for.

"You are so going down," she said and laughed while taking a seat on the opposite couch. He predictably picked The Sharks and she just stuck with her favorite—the teal team. She could never lose with them.

Twenty five minutes later he was giving her a run for her money but Lois was still ahead by a touchdown. She laughed in delight as one of her players sacked his QB on a third down and cackled (cackled?!) when he had to punt. Martha walked in the door right as Lois scored again and was doing her celebration dance. Well, she was five minutes late, but overall she found a good ally in one Lana Lang. Now as long as she stayed away from Clark romantically they could be friends.

"Good game Mr. Kent, but I think I won by a landslide!"

"Maybe another day we could have a rematch?"

"Sure, but you better practice or it'll just be a disappointment," Lois said seriously and sent a smile towards Martha. The older woman just laughed softly in disbelief and moved to embrace her husband. They didn't even notice when Lois stepped out of the house. It was time to try asking Lara some questions again. This time she had a list written down in her notebook.

She noticed Lana's car outside of the caves almost immediately and curiously moved to the opening. This was the second time the girl had beat her to the punch. She thought about just leaving but almost immediately discarded that idea and continued onwards. Lois didn't feel bad about eavesdropping in the slightest, especially when she heard Jason Teague in the cave tunnels as well.

"I had to come back to these caves. I had to find out why I was missing 12 hours of my life. But all I found were more questions."

Lana points over Jason's shoulder at the wall. He turns around and sees a wall painting of the symbol tattooed on Lana's back. He shines his flashlight on it. Lois looks on from her hiding spot and frowns. She didn't remember Lana having a tattoo but that symbol looked really familiar and not just because of the cave walls.

"It's the same as yours. What does the symbol mean?"

"I don't know. Jason, I don't know what's happening to me."

"Hey, hey. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together, okay?"

"Okay," Lana whispered in response and Lois could detect the fear in her voice.

Jason holds Lana close and she just rests her chin on his shoulder as he stares at the wall painting warily. Lois moved back out of the tunnel slowly as to not draw attention and let out a sigh. This trip to the cave once again formed more questions than answers and she hadn't even spoken to cryptic Lara. She'll need to get Chloe to do some research with her on the symbol. Maybe she could help remember where she had seen it before. That is, if she could drag her cousin away from Bart long enough, she thought wickedly and drove back to the Kent farm.

* * *

Review! Yah! 


	7. Transference

Sorry this took longer than expected….but I did make it really long…so that's a plus. Hope you like it! Let me know what you think! Please. cough review cough

* * *

**Chapter 6: Transference**

* * *

Lois wasn't normally a brooding person by nature, in fact she had targeted Clark with many an insult for just that behavior in the beginning—old beginning—of their friendship. She hated people who complained and sulked. She hated the burden of dealing with such people and their emotions. Sure, in a desperate time of need, she'd be a shoulder for Chloe to cry on, even Lucy on occasion but that didn't mean she liked it—or knew what to do in that kind of situation.

Normally she, when it did happen, steered clear or just let them cry their eyes out. After that emotional display was over, they'd thank her and move on whatever the circumstances.

Now, because of a box of animal crackers she saw in a vending machine, she couldn't seem to stop tears, couldn't seem to get rid of the pain in her heart.

Animal crackers had been Taylor's favorite food, after all.

Her little girl hadn't seemed to be able to differentiate the difference between meals and insisted on animal crackers for every one. She had tried to wean her away from the damn things for at least a month before giving up. If there had been only one thing Taylor had inherited from her mother, it was stubbornness. Poor Clark had thought the whole thing hilarious which only earned him glares from his wife but thinking back on those moments, Lois would give anything to wake up and find this whole thing to be a dream.

But she had to accept the fact that it wasn't, that things weren't going to be completely right in her world for years to come. They just couldn't be, not without Clark as her husband and her children there to wake her up at seven in the morning to watch Saturday cartoons.

Lois glanced through her tears at the unopened box of animal crackers on her dashboard. She had bought them on a whim, needed to have them near her until she returned to Smallville.

Returned to Clark.

Even though he couldn't help her, couldn't reassure her that everything would be okay once again, she just needed him. It scared her to realize just how much she did. She felt the same fright she had suffered years ago at the start of her recognition of her love for him. It was odd how one man could become so important to her, so quickly. They had been friends first but Clark had always been different from everyone else. She had been drawn to him even while annoyed and frustrated. She had loved him for so long and hadn't even recognized it for what it was.

She wasn't going to make that mistake again.

Maybe it was time to ask one Clark Kent out on a date, she thought with a small smile and made sure her face had no signs of her emotional breakdown before getting out of her car at the Kent farm.

Maybe…

"Hey Clark!" She called out when she noticed him walking out of the barn. She had already decided, during her Sociology class but before the animal crackers that she needed to get back to Smallville; that she needed to see Clark. Now her need was even more intense.

Her smile faded slowly as he took his time in turning to face her with a slightly blank expression on his face.

Did he have to lose his memory so many times?

"Lois Lane," he finally greeted with a sly smirk and quickly closed the distance between them in half. He remembered her, that was for sure, but the look he was giving her made her uncomfortable. His eyes seemed different today for some reason.

She had never seen that look in his eyes before.

Lois took a step away, suspicious at once, but she felt guilty for feeling so. There was no reasonable excuse for her wariness and as she clutched at the box of animal crackers she couldn't help but feel alone once again.

He was supposed to make everything better.

He always made everything better.

There was no warmth in his smile, no tenderness in his eyes that had always been there for her before.

"Hi Clark," She said with a smile but kept her distance. By doing so, she was almost trying to prove that this wasn't her Clark. Her Clark, as she had come to think of him, would have been worried by that distance. He had come to expect a jab in the arm in greeting or her to link her arm through his as they walked but she did neither.

"What are you doing here?" He asked abruptly in a tone she had never heard from him before. Was he possessed or something? Had this happened before when she had been at Metropolis University with not a care in the world besides who she could drink under the table?

"I came to visit," she answered slowly as if he were stupid and sighed in relief as Jonathon came out to greet her.

"Lois, how have you been?"

"I'm doing ok Mr. Kent, just thought I'd stop by to give you a run for your money on that football game. You up for it?" She asked with a smile walking away from Clark and frowned as he didn't follow her.

"Sure! But I have to warn you, I've gotten pretty good."

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"Ha! Are you coming Clark?"

"Huh?" Clark asked with a disdainful frown.

"Video game football tournament," Lois supplied helpfully and couldn't help but sigh in relief as he declined the offer with a frown and walked back into the barn. She had never thought it possible that she would want to get away from Clark, hadn't really expected to ever feel the need to get away but the way he was acting was creeping her out and she needed to get to the bottom of it. She couldn't investigate him very well if he was stuck to her side.

"Have you noticed something funny about Clark?" She asked quickly once they entered the kitchen. Lois swiftly made her way to the counter and poured a cup of coffee.

"He does seem out of it," Jonathon said honestly surprising Lois.

"He isn't himself—there's something wrong, I can tell."

"He just quit the football team."

"What?" Lois asked shocked. She knew that football had been a means for Clark to fit in, to feel like he belonged his senior year. He loved the game and would never just up and quit like that.

"I was just as surprised. Something is wrong Lois."

That Jonathon Kent already seemed to trust her was something new. Before, she had sort of forced her way into this beautiful family, and after a while she felt as if she truly belonged. This time, he was already treating her as a daughter. She had no idea how things had progressed so far already.

She was very thankful to feel that sense of belonging but still had no clue as to what to do. She really needed Clark and suddenly she couldn't find in her the energy to actually investigate. What she needed first was…

Martha entered the kitchen and Lois couldn't help but wish that she could tell her everything. Just be honest with them both. She knew that if she could, the strength and support they would show her would be great.

But she couldn't, didn't know if she could ever. There was just too much at stake and the more people who found out her circumstance, the more she would have to worry about her future. She had taken a chance with telling Chloe a small part of it but that was all she could afford to tell for now.

"Lois! What a nice surprise. Are you hungry, we have leftovers?" Martha said with a smile and Lois felt the sting of tears once again. The way the older woman looked at her with such warmth and affection was almost too much for her. She desperately needed someone to talk too but the only person who knew about her situation was Chloe and she didn't even know it all. There was no way she could tell her cousin everything. Not until she was sure that Chloe was over Clark, which made her life all the more difficult.

"Are you ok honey?" Martha asked with concern and Lois noticed Jonathon head out of the room to give them privacy.

"I don't know," Lois answered truthfully and sank down into a kitchen chair. Martha followed her and pulled a chair closer in order to wrap an arm around her in an embrace. The movement would have startled Lois if she hadn't needed just that motherly comfort so much. She allowed herself to lean into the closest person she had ever thought of as mother and felt her eyes well again as she looked down at the now pitiful mashed box of cookies.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything and nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"I just don't know Martha, I can't explain it."

She refused to let the tears come, even as she accepted Martha's embrace she merely clutched the tiny box to her chest like a lifeline.

It was a lifeline in a sense.

She hadn't really understood before, hadn't been able to pinpoint the exact reason for her emotional day but as she tried to bring forth a picture in her mind of her children she found it hazy. She could remember that Taylor liked animal crackers but she couldn't clearly see her children in her memories. What kind of mother was she?

A damn good one! Lois thought fiercely and pulled away from Martha slowly with a determined frown. She had been a great mother! She could remember how worried she had been when she discovered she was pregnant with Liam, how Clark had reassured her. She had been so scared but Clark had been right in the end, she had been a natural. She felt smug at the thought and tore open the box of cookies in order to snack on them. Sure, they weren't chocolate but they were still pretty darn good.

"Lois?" Martha asked curiously with amusement and took an animal cracker for herself. When Lois only shook her head, just as baffled at her own mood swing Martha idly commented, "These have always been my favorite."

So she had been the culprit! The one to get Tay hooked. Lois had thought it had been Clark but all the blame should have gone to his sneaky mother! She should have guessed it.

"I just had to remember, had to prove to myself that I could," Lois finally commented cryptically but it was more for her own peace of mind.

"You can always come to me Lois. No matter what, I want you to know that."

"I do and thank you for making me feel like I belong. I really needed that."

"You do belong," Martha answered and Lois could tell could tell from the look on the older woman's face that she was just as surprised from the comment. They both let out a laugh when Jonathon called out from the other room that the game was all set up.

He finally admitted defeat after the second loss and Lois just smiled when he challenged Martha to a game expecting an easy win. Lois made her way into the kitchen for a drink and spotted Clark leaving the barn. It was time to get to work, she thought and managed a quick goodbye to the distracted Kent's before moving to her car in order to follow Clark in his truck. It was a easy to follow him and Lois didn't know what to think when he pulled into the high school and quickly made his way towards the Torch.

"Lois, what are you doing here?" Came the voice of her cousin and Lois winced slightly remembering that she had forgot to let Chloe know she was in Smallville. Chloe looked slightly baffled but it passed quickly as she grinned slightly in excitement.

"I came to visit—what?" Lois asked when her smile grew.

"Well, I've been doing some research and I think I found some more information about the caves and—"

"You did?"

"Of course I did!" Chloe exclaimed slightly put out by Lois' stunned expression. "I am a reporter in training you know."

If only you knew, Lois thought with an inner chuckle. Who would have thought that Lois Lane would be the one to become an award winning journalist whilst Chloe Sullivan would—

"Lois! What are you grinning for?" Chloe asked in bewilderment and pulled her along the hallway. She opened her mouth to brush the comment aside and continue on with what she found but quickly shut it when she saw Clark seated at the computer terminal. Lois sent up a prayer in thanks that Chloe knew when to keep quiet.

"What, is flannel too five minutes ago?" Chloe teases as she comes toward Clark and puts down her bag. She notices the broken corner of the desk and lifts a brow in question. Lois looked at the broken desk with a frown. There was no way Clark would be so careless.

"Whoa. Who pulled a Paul Bunyon on the desk?"

"It was that way when I got here," Clrk explained then glanced up at Lois as she only snorted in reply at his lie.

"Weird," Chloe said with a frown but obviously decided to believe his story.

"You know, Chloe, I'm concerned about your well-being," Clark began after nodding in agreement.

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

Chloe goes over to the other desk. Clark twirls around in his chair to look at her almost as if to dismiss Lois from the conversation entirely. Lois glared, not liking the feeling of rejection at all.

"If Lionel Luthor managed somehow to get out of prison, what do you suppose he'd do? About you, I mean."

"Why? Has the Lionel Luthor alert suddenly been elevated to orange?" Chloe jokes and when Clark shrugs mysteriously she frowns. "Do you know something I don't?

Clark kicks off against the desk and wheels his chair over to Chloe.

"No. But it always pays to be cautious."

Lois couldn't agree more and moved to stand in between the two. Clark looked slightly annoyed at her interference but she could care less. Chloe didn't even notice her move and instead moved a folder onto the desk.

"Well, I'm not exactly shaking in my sneakers. I mean, he won't be eligible for parole until he's, like, 112 so..."

"You never know. He could get out sooner than you think," Clark replied and sounded all too smug for Lois' liking. It was almost as if he believed Lionel Luthor was already a free man.

"I don't think there's a chance of that," Lois butts in and stands in front of Clark as he rises from his seated position. He looks at her and she gasps softly at the anger she sees in his eyes. He slowly advances in her direction and stops just short of leaning up against her body. Chloe looks up at them curiously, for usually they were much friendlier towards one another.

"Anything's possible," Clark said and leaned in as if to kiss her. Lois didn't want to take any chances if he thought to and stubbornly turned her head away from his titling her chin to convey that he wasn't welcome to be that close to her.

Clark glared intensely before stalking away and out of the Torch angrily. It had been obvious to her that he was baiting Chloe but she just couldn't see why he would. As for her, she saw the challenge in his eyes and unlike usual, it didn't stir in her passion but rather her disgust.

That was not Clark.

* * *

_She heard the tell tale signs of her husband landing on the balcony and quickly pressed record on the remote control before shutting off the TV. He'd never let her live it down…_

_"Lois?"_

_"In here Clark!" She called out with a smile and then groaned when the whirlwind that was her husband spun into the room. When he finally came to a stop: he was dressed in worn out jeans and a hooded sweatshirt and was bringing a freshly made sandwich to his lips._

_"Cheat," She grumbled at his quick change and Clark merely smiled smugly back in return. He plopped down beside her on the old comfy couch and raised a brow when he heard the crackle of something beneath him. Lois only shrugged indifferently when he held up the empty bag of chips._

_"Lunch," She explained simply._

_"Right," Clark agreed wondering why he had even bothered to question the bag's presence. He tossed trash aside and once again brought his sub sandwich up for a bite. Before he could even open his mouth, Lois had snatched it away._

_"Hey!"_

_"Deal with it," she growled in return and took a bite._

_"Deal with it?"_

_"You're going to spoil your dinner."_

_He didn't feel it necessary to mention to her that he could basically eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. She wouldn't see the reasoning of it anyway and it wouldn't be wise to rub that in a woman's face--especially a pregnant woman._

_"The dinner I haven't made yet?"_

_"You don't want me to make it, do you?" Lois asked shooting him a bewildered look._

_"God no!"_

_"That's what I thought!" Lois exclaimed in relief and finished off half of the sandwich before he could even blink._

_"So, because I haven't made dinner--only a little after 5 o'clock, I might add—you get to eat my sandwich?"_

_"Yup."_

_"That doesn't seem very fair."_

_"Life isn't always fair Clark," She told him seriously and when he gave her a slight pout she held out the sandwich for him to bite into. He got the hint right away and took advantage with a giant bite, not wanting to waste the opportunity at catching his wife in a generous mood._

_"Thanks," He said with a smile over a mouthful of food._

_'I am eating for two, you know," Lois pointed out with a glare when only a bite of the sub remained. He growled as she laid on the guilt and slumped further into the couch resting his face in the crook of her neck._

_"Cheat," he muttered mimicking her from before and she laughed happily. He slowly placed his hand on her belly tenderly and she smiled softly when the baby kicked in return._

_"How was work?" She asked lightly after a few moments as Clark picked a few stray chips off of her shirt with a grin._

_"Boring, dull and horrible," he answered as had been the ritual to do so for the past week. It wasn't really wise to get Lois—a pregnant Lois especially—interested in any new exciting investigations; any investigation actually._

_Lois sighed in response, knowing immediately that he was lying but content that he was trying to appease her. They had made a deal, and she had promised not to do anything too dangerous after the seventh month—not that she should do anything involving danger even before that—but rather, she had agreed to take time off from work._

_She had regretted that promise the day after she had made it. The fink had tricked her into it! Convinced her at a weak moment and distracted her with his…sexiness. She wouldn't even mind just sticking to desk work. He had no need to worry. It's not like she could actually do any investigating, unless it was at a waddling pace. She certainly couldn't sneak up on anybody!_

_She had wanted to kill Perry at the time, when he had agreed whole heartedly but thought that it was probably for the best in the long run. Not that she would ever admit it. If she hadn't grudgingly agreed, she probably would have worried Clark to death. Then what would she do without him? Raise the kid alone? She didn't know anything about being a mother!_

_Lois glanced quickly at the TV and sighed in relief when she noticed the blinking red light. It was still recording. She looked away just as fast and noticed Clark looking at her curiously._

_"What is it?"_

_"What?"_

_"What was the look for?"_

_"What look?"_

_"The look towards the TV and then the sigh…"_

_"Oh. That look."_

_He nodded and then waited for her to continue. When she didn't say anything after a few moments he realized she wasn't planning to._

_"Lois."_

_"What?"_

_"The look?" He supplied with amusement in his eyes as she continued to look innocent. She was definitely up to something._

_"Oh, it was nothing," she dismissed with a wave of her hand and leaned into him in order to distract. He was lost in her kiss immediately and Lois almost cheered in triumph before getting lost as well. Her plan would have worked had she not almost rolled off the couch. Clark caught her easily with a laugh and gently placed her back in her spot._

_"Thanks," she muttered with a blush but gasped when he reached for the remote. She made a move to grab for it but he wouldn't let her take it away. He pressed the on button as they tussled for control and chuckled when Lois gave a sigh of defeat. He only laughed harder as he realized what she had been trying to keep from him._

_Lois Lane had been watching and recording Oprah!_

_"It's a good show," she defended herself immediately and Clark didn't dare argue back. She didn't think it was precedent to mention that she also had a few daytime soaps recorded as well._

_Clark cocked his head to the side as he focused on the show. Apparently Lois was interested in a blind boy who developed a clicking noise in order to bounce the sound off of objects to let him 'See'._

_"He's amazing," Clark said in response after a few moments but Lois crossed her arms over her chest and slumped further down. He was going to find out eventually—better just get it over with._

_"I'm sure he is," She muttered not even glancing at the TV. "But I really didn't care—I was taping it for the first part."_

_"Oh?"_

_"Yes."_

_"And what was that about?"_

_"Nothing much really."_

_"Then why were you watching it and taping it?"_

_"I really couldn't say," was her cryptic response and Clark narrowed his eyes slightly and turned the tape on to the beginning of the show._

_"What your baby is really saying..."_

_"It could be useful!" She points out heatedly and refuses to blush._

_"Yeah, but, shouldn't she be born first…before we start decoding her?"_

_"I need to learn these things in advance Clark. Or else I won't know what to do with him once he's here," She says with a dramatic sigh and Clark can see straight through her, to her worry._

_"He?"_

_"Of course, our baby's a boy!"_

_"And you know this how?"_

_"I just do."_

_"Did you cheat and ask the doctor?" Clark accuses with a mock glare and Lois' mouth drops open in shock._

_"I would never!"_

_He only looks at her unconvinced._

_"Ok, so maybe I thought about it—but you're always around," she mutters a bit put out. "And anyway, why are you so set on our baby being a girl? You didn't peek, did you?" Lois makes the accusation of her own with a frown._

_"You know I wouldn't. We had a deal."_

_"We were crazy. If we knew, it would be a whole lot easier picking out a name, you know?"_

_He opens his arms to embrace her immediately as she leans further into him. She relaxes immediately content as Clark brushes a soft kiss to her temple._

_"It's kind of fun not knowing," he answers and holds her even closer._

_"Yeah, yeah. That's cause it was your idea."_

_"You agreed."_

_Once again, it was in a moment of weakness. Who could think when Clark and chocolate were in a room together? Not Lois Lane, that's for sure. The rat. She refused to comment and turned to watch the forgotten Oprah show. It was rather interesting. Apparently if a baby says 'neh' then it's hungry. That couldn't be so hard to remember. And 'owh' is sleepy; piece of cake! She could handle it._

_"Clark?"_

_"Hmm," he responded but didn't look down at her; instead his eyes were focused on the TV as well._

_"Do you think he'll like me?"_

_That seemed to catch his attention, or it could have been the hesitation and worry in her voice, she couldn't say for sure._

_"Our baby will love you Lois. How could he not?"_

_"What if I do something wrong? Like try and burp him when he really just wants to sleep—I could get those baby sounds mixed up you know!"_

_He wanted to laugh; it was almost ridiculous how worried she was, but he didn't dare. He knew she was being completely honest. Instead he turned her to face him fully and rested a reassuring hand on her cheek._

_"This baby is going to be a part of you and me—hopefully he doesn't get your stubbornness…"_

_"Or your fashion sense," Lois added with a little grin but still felt tears well in her eyes. Damn emotional outbursts._

_"—and if he's anything like me, he won't be able to do anything but love you. I know you're afraid, you don't really know what to do, or how to act and I'm frightened too. But I don't think anyone wouldn't be."_

_"I don't know how to be a mother."_

_"You'll learn. I don't know how to be a father," he points out and she lifts a hand to trace his jaw._

_"You'll learn."_

_"Exactly!"_

_"But Clark, your parents were wonderful raising you—my childhood, it wasn't even like a childhood. My dad was never around and when he was I was treated like a soldier, not a daughter."_

_"You're already doing more than he ever did Lois—I can see how much you already love our son."_

_"Our son, huh?" She asked slyly, happy that he seemed to be coming around to her side of things._

_"You always win," he muttered but before she can let out the joyful laugh that threatened he covered her mouth with his own._

"Lois."

"Clark."

"Lois, wake up."

"Wha?"

"What are you doing sleeping on the couch?"

Lois sat up slowly and blinked to clear the sleepiness from her eyes. She looked up bewildered at Jonathon Kent, who was now handing her a coffee cup.

"I got in kind of late."

"Clark would give up his bed…"

"Usually," she muttered and let out a sigh of relief after tasting the strong beverage. Raising her hand to rub her face in exhaustion, she drew it away slowly shocked to see the proof of tears on her cheeks.

"Some dream," Jonathon commented idly and Lois nodded.

"Where's Martha?" Lois asks curious but for the most part wanting to change the subject. She didn't think it would be too wise to let Mr. Kent know that she wanted Clark more than anything.

Not yet, at least, she thought with a wicked smirk.

"She went out a little while ago. I just got back from the mechanics, the tractor's shot again."

"What else is new?"

He huffed slightly but couldn't disagree.

"Is Clark around?" She asked and couldn't help the grimace when she called the imposter Clark.

"In the barn I think."

Lois nodded and stood with a stretch waving at him with a yawn before making her way towards the Clark imposter in the barn. Even though he gave her the creeps, Chloe had agreed that it would be a good idea to keep an eye on him.

She didn't bother to call out to him, especially when she over heard him talking to someone on the phone. Or at least she assumed the mechanical woman's voice came from the phone. But then it wasn't even Clark's voice that answered, but the recorded voice of Lionel Luthor.

"434690."

"May I please have your mother's maiden name?"

"Meehan."

What the hell is going on? Lois thought with a dark frown and moved farther into the corner and out of sight to listen in.

"Voice verification complete. Account balance is two dollars and fifty-nine cents."

"No. No, no, there was 57 million U.S. dollars in that account."

"A withdrawal for that amount was made two months ago."

Lionel Luthor is in Clark Kent's body? It was wrong to even think it. A noise at the doorway of the barn startled her slightly and she let her body sink down the wall to avoid being seen by Lana. The young girl looked worried enough—there'd be no point in letting her in on her theory.

"The day I was convicted," Clark mutters and only confirms Lois' suspicions.

"Sir?"

Lois could hear the crushing of the phone from where she stood on the ground below.

"Lex. Of course."

"Clark," Lana said timidly as she ascended the stairs.

Clark turns to look at Lana, and then turns away again, exasperated.

"This one," he says to himself snidely.

"About last night, um, I'm sorry that you found out about me and Jason the way that you did."

"You'll get over it."

Well that's an interesting turn of events. But will Clark know what Lionel had seen when he returns back into his own body? She couldn't be sure and really didn't want to think of it.

Clark throws the remains of the phone over the banister and it narrowly misses Lois. Sheglowers in his direction from her hiding spot as he walks away from Lana, still upset about the phone call and not really paying attention.

"We didn't just meet. He was in Paris over the summer, and we sort of spent a lot of time together."

"How romantic. A lovers' meeting, the first kiss shared on the banks of the river Seine."

Lana is confused by Clark's coldness and Lois couldn't help but be

amused. If she didn't see that this wasn't Clark—couldn't see it—then that was her problem.

"He moved to Smallville to be with me, Clark. It's kind of serious."

"Well, I'm not surprised."

Clark walks to Lana, suddenly seductive.

Crap.

"A man would travel around the world to... pluck your succulent fruit."

Eww.

"Don't talk to me like that."

Lois couldn't agree more as Lana walks toward the door as Clark chuckles.

"I can't help it. Sorry."

Old pervert.

"Clark, I need you to promise me something."

"Whatever you want."

Ha!

"Don't tell anyone about me and Jason."

"I don't understand why you're so interested in this high school football coach. Think a minute. Do you have any idea what I have to offer you?"

He better not mention any of Clark's special abilities either, Lois thought with a mental growl and moved slowly in a crouch up the stairs.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I do. Lies and secrecy and a whole lot of confusion. You were the one that broke up with me, remember?"

"Well, that was a mistake. I was... I was too young to know what I was doing. I'm older now, more mature."

Why that piece of…

"Well, I'm not so sure."

Yah!

"Oh, Lana, I'm very different. Let me show you."

Clark grabs Lana by the shoulders and kisses her forcefully on the lips. She jerks away from him and slaps him across the face.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Lois quickly left the barn glowering and waited for Lana to storm out of the loft. She had to remind herself to be friendly and that the other girl had reacted perfectly and didn't want the kiss. She better not want it…

"Lois?"

"Hey Lana," she replies and all her anger disappears as she notices how scared Lana is. "I just wanted to let you know that I overheard you in there and I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you but it might not matter."

"There's something wrong with Clark, Lana, he's—sick—or something and not acting like himself. I'll talk to him and make him understand why it's important to keep your secret."

Lana only smiles in gratitude before leaving in a hurry.

* * *

With one hand, Clark throws Jonathan across the kitchen. He slams into the glass doors of the cupboard above the fridge and falls to the ground in a pile of broken glass. Clark walks slowly to him and grabs him by the neck, lifting him into the air.

"Tell me what it is, Jonathan."

"Maybe I could help you out!" Lois calls out from the doorway and

Clark looks at her with murder in his eyes. She squeezed the meteorite tightly in her palm and reminded herself that he could never be Clark.

He seemed to make a decision then and carelessly tossed Jonathon into the wall again. Lois grimaced and forced herself to hold her ground.

"Well?" He asked darkly and Lois met his gaze of steel with resolve of her own. She pulled back her fist and let it fly catching him unaware. His eyes widened slightly as her fist connected with his hard jaw and he was too late to avoid the blow.

The force of her hit and the Kryptonite knocked him to the ground and he looked up at her in confusion. She didn't plan to let him know about the only thing that could hurt Clark and kept her throbbing hand closed.

The phone rings, and they both turn to look at it.

"Hi, you've reached the Kents. Leave a message."

"Hey, uh, does this thing work? Hello. I'm calling for someone named Clark. Uh, Houston, we have a problem. I've done some more reading and, uh, it's not good. So I hope you're getting this because you should come see me A.S.A.P."

The voice on the other line wasn't one Lois recognized but Lionel seemed to, for he super speeds out of the house before she could even turn back to him. She quickly slips the rock back into the lead case and moves over to Jonathon's prone form.

"Mr. Kent, are you ok?"

The groan that answers her makes her wince in sympathy but he stands up slowly and rubs his head.

"Where did he go?"

"The phone rang and he seemed more interested in that than us. I have no idea who it was but I overheard him earlier on the phone—Lionel's in Clark's body. I know it sounds weird but it's the truth."

"Martha said the same thing," he admits and sighs when his wife bursts through the door.

"Are you ok?"

"We're fine Martha—Lois scared him away," Jonathon teases and Lois narrows her eyes slightly in response.

"Lois, you look exhausted!" Martha points out and Lois grumbles slightly. Sure she was tired, but she didn't really think it necessary to point it out. After all, she hadn't gotten to bed until way after four in the morning and didn't even get to sleep late! She of course, recognized that this was their way of getting her out of the way so they could talk and so she decided to let it slide.

"I am tired."

"Why don't you go rest for a while—we'll keep an eye out for Luthor," Jonathon said and really left no room for arguing. She had a feeling that Clark was going to be back and not Luthor but that could have been because she wanted it so badly. She had learned early on to trust her gut, and so as she made her way up the stairs and dropped into bed, she let her eyes close without worry.

* * *

Clark, now dressed in his traditional flannel, is a welcome sight to see as Lois slowly opens her eyes. The significance of the sight doesn't occur to her and she turns her head further into the pillow with a happy sigh.

"Lois?"

"What Clark?"

He doesn't even get a chance to answer her before she stumbles out of bed and is staring deeply, searchingly into his eyes.

"It's me, Lois."

"I'm so happy," she tells him with a wide smile and embraces him tightly burying her face into his neck. He tenderly holds her just as tightly and smiles into her hair, content it seems, to hold her for as long as she would allow. After a few moments Lois steps away reluctantly and Clark's arms drop to his side as she finally takes in her surroundings.

The messiness was unmistakable.

"Why am I in my dorm room?"

"I drove you here."

"But…why?"

"Come on Lois, I felt bad."

"It wasn't your fault Smallville. You need to get that through your head. You can't do everything and this you had no control over. Lionel Luthor is a devious man."

"I know," he said with a blush at her light reprimand. "But I still felt bad that we didn't even get to see each other this weekend. Plus, I know you have class tomorrow."

"Class," Lois muttered not counting it as important. "I was worried about you Clark. Nothing else really mattered," she told him truthfully and he couldn't prevent a small smile.

"I was worried too Lois. I had no idea how to get back, if I ever would. How did you even know it wasn't me?"

"It was your eyes. I'd know your eyes anywhere," she answered and almost cursed herself. It was too much too soon. She blamed it entirely on just having been asleep. The blushes he couldn't seem stop helped ease her mind.

"You slept like a rock the whole trip anyway," he pointed out and she could believe it. Waking up early for stupid classes, driving to Smallville more than she probably should and dealing with an imposter Clark really took a lot out of a girl.

"He didn't—do anything to you, did he?" Clark worries and Lois shakes her head to quickly reassure him. He breathes a sigh of relief.

"He was just a jerk. I didn't really let him close to me. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Lana."

"Oh no," Clark groans and buries his face in his hand.

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"Well he kissed her for one!" Lois exclaimed, still angry about that. He stared at her in shock, and she couldn't tell if he could see her jealousy. It's not like Clark had kissed Lana but Lois believed those lips of his to be personal property. Not that he knew that—or would ever.

"And then she slapped him!"

"Well, that's good. But what was she doing around him—me—in the first place?"

Lois hesitated. It would probably be best to let him in on the new development in Lana's relationship. She just hoped that he didn't act crushed because then she would be.

"Well, Lionel sort of walked in on her and Jason apparently."

"Coach?"

"Yup."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Lois agreed and watched his expression closely. It remained completely confused.

"…walked in on what?" He finally asked and when she merely stared hard at him he quickly caught on. His mouth formed a perfect O and Lois just nodded.

"He's the guy from Paris."

"That makes sense, I guess," Clark muttered and Lois looked away darkly.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Come on Clark! I know the two of you had something between you."

"It was never really anything, and it was over before it started. Anyway, I've come to realize that we were always missing something: the spark that you should feel when you're with the person that means everything to you, the need to just be near that someone, and trust."

"That's a lot missing."

"It is. Lois, I feel—I just never really knew what love was I guess. Before."

He left it at that and looked away. Lois could feel her heart pounding. It wasn't the right time forwords of love, not yet at least and Lois felt like grumbling. He wasn't ready and she didn't think she was either. Not for those important words.

"She wanted to make sure you wouldn't tell anyone, about them."

"I won't, I would never, but I'll tell her that when I see her. At least Chloe seemed to escape Lionel."

"It was a near thing, I tell you. I literally had to push him away."

"Thank God."

"You owe me."

"Oh, that reminds me," he said with a smile a moved to pick up something from the desk. "My mom told me to give this to you; she said that she felt bad for eating all of yours the other night."

Could she ever escape?

He held out a new box of animal crackers with a smile and Lois reached out, her hand trembling, to take them. She blinked back the tears and lovingly stroked the box. Ever since she had seen the cookies in a vending machine, she could only think of getting to Clark. That he would make everything better. Now, as he moved to take her other hand in his gently she let out a breath, and knew she had been right.

Her lifeline.

She closed her eyes tightly and leaned her head against his strong chest with a smile.

"Lois?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you ok?"

"It just brought back some memories, that's all," she found herself reassuring him.

"Happy memories?"

"The happiest."

"Will you tell me?"

"Maybe, someday, I'll share all my secrets with you Clark and you'll share yours. But not today," She teased but was also completely serious. He laughed but when she stepped away once again he nodded in agreement.

"That's a promise Lois Lane."

"Damn right it is. Should you be getting home?" She asked, not wanting him to leave but knowing he would have to eventually.

"I probably should."

She wouldn't even ask how he planned to get back, that's the kind of generous mood she was in. Instead, she walked him to the door to say goodbye.

"Maybe instead of you having to drive all the way to Smallville next weekend, I could come here to visit?" Clark asked shyly as he opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

"Who said I was coming next weekend?"

"Oh, well I just was hoping I guess, uh…"

"Clark, I was kidding."

"Oh."

"It sounds like a good idea," she put him at ease and gave his forearm a gentle squeeze. And then, to put herself further out there, she decided to be completely honest with him.

"I missed you Clark."

"I always miss you, but I'll try not to get possessed in the near future. At least not until after I visit."

Lois let out a reluctant smile and pushed him further out the door. If he didn't leave, she was going to jump him.

"Bye Smallville."

"Bye," he responded softly and finally turned to go. Lois almost had the door closed when he turned around again and pushed it open. He was shaking his head, as if having a silent conversation with himself and before she could open her mouth to ask him anything his lips were gently on hers.

Stunned, Lois couldn't respond at first but soon allowed her lips to relax and part beneath his. He pulled away, or tried to, but she wouldn't allow it and instead pulled him back for more. Her fingers clamped the back of his neck and she bit back only part of a moan. His mouth wasn't soft and coaxing anymore but hard and ruthless. She matched him eagerly because she had needed exactly this for weeks now. As the perfect moment stretched on, she knew that if she didn't end it now they would go too far.

"Please," she muttered into his lips and only managed to get that. He seemed to understand her pleading immediately and pulled himself away. She felt delighted that his breath came out in short bursts the same as hers. Their eyes met and she could see he felt exactly the same. She could see, in his eyes, what she had always been able to see.

"Lois, I know that we're not ready for this—I don't know how or why I do—but I just want you to know that I don't want to be with anyone else. I can't even think of anyone else."

Lois' swollen mouth dropped open in shock and he just smiled

gently back at her. Where had this confident Clark come from?

He shifted slightly when she didn't say anything back and she felt relieved that she was once again in front of her shy farm boy. Her mouth gently curved and her eyes were warm as she laid her lips lightly on his.

"There's no one else."

* * *

Hey! Thanks for reading! I hope you all liked it and be sure to tell me if you did! ...please? 


	8. Spell

**Hey guys, sorry about the long wait but this long chapter should make up for it at least a little. I hope you like it and leave a review--because I love those! **

* * *

**Chapter 7: Spell  
**

* * *

The sky is covered with dark gray clouds outside the Kent farm. A storm is surely approaching and what with the mood Lois was in, she often wondered if the weather coincided with her emotions. She had been so busy lately with tests in classes she didn't even want to go to and Chloe's surprise birthday party that she had only been able to see Clark last weekend. It had been too long and in a way, not long enough. She didn't know how to act around him. Not since after that kiss.

That one kiss had been the center of her thoughts since it happened.

Especially during Biology.

And Sociology.

And Criminology.

And even that Journalism class she had been taking in secret.

It was driving her crazy and even with the amount of time she spent thinking about a stupid kiss, it did absolutely nothing for her. She still didn't know what it meant. How he feels. What he wants and when he wants what he wants…

Clark was putting a bale of hay down near the barn as Lois pulled into the driveway behind him. Getting out of her car she can't stop the groan that emits from her lips as she realizes she had been  
admiring the view.

He turns with a surprised smile and walks towards her. Lois can't help but return the smile albeit a little shyly. After realizing that she did so, it turned forced immediately but bright. She didn't really know how to act around him; didn't know if things would be awkward now. They had never really been awkward before…

Lois rolls her eyes heavenward at the lie. Things had been plenty awkward for them the last go around.

How is she even supposed to greet him? With a hug or a nice handshake or maybe even a…

"Hey Lois! What are you doing here? Why aren't you at school?"

"We're having a surprise party for Chloe's 18th birthday in your barn, remember?"

After noticing that he had obviously forgotten about the party and didn't look too happy about it, she decided that a kiss was probably out of the question. So instead she opened the back door of her car and pulled out a cardboard box full of decorations.

"No. I remember telling you that you couldn't have it here."

Yup, definitely out of the question.

Damn it.

"Too late now. Everyone's already been invited, and you really don't want it getting back to Chloe that you rained on her shindig. That would hurt her feelings."

Lois pulled out another box and stacked it on top of the box that Clark was already holding. She feels no guilt as he shifts under the weight of the boxes and tilts his head in order to look at her. He could handle it. He could pretend as though he couldn't, but she knew better, Lois thought as she pulled the third and final box out of her car before closing the door.

"What?"

"Then I'd have to hurt you."

"Listen, Lois, I don't want—"

"Can you give me a hand with these? I have to get the wheels back to my dad before he notices them missing."

She walked towards the barn and smirks when Clark follows her immediately. He was obviously against the idea but still helps her unconditionally. He's amazing.

"Lois, we can't do this tonight. The guy from Princeton's coming to meet me. Besides, my parents are out of town."

Princeton? He can't go to Princeton! He doesn't want to and he doesn't anyway, so why should it matter if he blows the interview or not? He turns out just fine not going to Princeton!

Plus, she was determined to throw this party for Chloe and she was just as determined to actually keep it a secret this time around.

"Relax, Smallville. It's just gonna be a couple of people standing around singing Happy Birthday. It's not gonna be Sodom and Gomorrah. Mr. Ivy League won't even know we're here. Trust me."

He looked at her skeptically as he set the boxes down. Lois only smiled back as she lay her box down as well.

"What's with the interview anyway? Not that it's any of my business but do you even want to go to Princeton?"

"Of course I do."

They both knew his answer was too forceful to be true. That he was too quick in trying to convince her that it was what he sought after that he forgot for a moment that it wasn't what he wanted. Never had he even thought about it before his Mom gave mention of it and Lois only lifted a brow in disbelief. She saw right through him even when he wasn't trying to hide something.

"I don't know, but I do know that my Mom wants me to consider it and that's enough for me," he answered truthfully when he caught her look.

"That doesn't sound too eager to me Clark but I'm sure you'll end up where you're supposed to be," Lois said and couldn't control her motions as she took his hands firmly in her own.

"You think?" He asked hesitantly applying slight pressure to their clasped hands and Lois smiled gently to reassure.

"I know it. You're a good guy Clark," she stated and stepped away forcing him to let go as she went to sort through the boxes. He smiled slightly, still unsure and moved to stand closely by her side peering into the box.

"Is that a good thing?" He asked finally as she began to pull out random party decorations and her movements ceased almost immediately.

She could feel his heat in his closeness. It unnerved her that he affected her so much but the thrill, she knew, would never go away. He just had to stand near her to get her pulse to double in tempo. She didn't dare turn to look into his eyes for she knew what she would find and had already convinced her self ten times in the past five minutes that she wouldn't grab him by his plaid shirt and…

"It works for you," she said simply and shifted away.

"Lois," he began and she really couldn't have guessed what he wanted to say. She tripped over her own feet in an attempt to flee before he could manage to say anymore. He caught her easily and Lois suddenly found herself in a position she had been dreaming about for weeks but also worrying over—in his arms. She quickly spun away with a little laugh. She couldn't handle being that close to him yet.

"I've got to get going Smallville, I think Chloe's on to me and I've got to lead her off the trail," she informed him seriously but ruined the affect with a smirk. HE just continued to look at her with a little frown and Lois could almost see his mind working and worrying.

Right now, he was wondering if she regretted the kiss they had shared but he was afraid to ask. She could tell by the way he bit his bottom lip that he was forcing himself not to ask but she didn't want him to start to brood and so she made a quick decision.

"I'm going to find Chloe, ship her off to go shopping and then try and come back here, but do you think you could help me decorate?"

"Sure Lois."

"And don't forget to put up that big sign."

"I won't."

"The food should be over in a couple hours—nothing too fancy—but make sure you check to make sure everything's there before you sign for the delivery…"

"I will Lois."

"Because if you don't you could get gypped out of a couple of meals…"

"Lois, I'm sure the catering company won't try to cheat us," he commented slyly with a chuckle and she finally stopped babbling.

"But I'll check it twice anyway."

She moved so quickly even he didn't know how to react in time, and his reflexes were quick. Lois had placed a firm quick kiss to his lips and was out the barn door and into her car before he could grin. He rushed to the door just in time to catch her wink as she drove off.

* * *

The counter was covered with candles, herbs, bowls of steaming liquid, and jars of mysterious potions. Lana was mashing some ingredients in a stone bowl and chuckling a little too wickedly as Lois and Chloe entered the apartment. Lois noticed Lana cover something up with a washcloth but doesn't really care about it enough to mention it. Something was definitely up but Lois was too pissed to think about it. Lana was supposed to have gotten in touch with her hours ago and then take Chloe shopping so that she could decorate.

"Hello," Chloe says brightly but looks around the apartment with a raised brow.

"Oh, you are home. I've been calling, but no one answered," Lois mentioned off handedly but with a bite to her voice.

Chloe looks confused at Lana's paraphernalia.

"Well, I've been kind of preoccupied. Science project," Lana answered simply dismissing everything with a wave of her hand.

"From what century?" Chloe asked sarcastically with a sly grin and Lana misses the tone completely and took the question seriously.

"It's a whole retro thing. I'm trying to recreate some of the stuff they did back in the 1600s."

"Oh."

Lana looked at them both thoughtfully.

"I really think you two are going to like it."

Lois turned to her with a frown at how weird she was being but needed to think of a way to get Chloe out of the room so she could snap Lana out of it.

"Damn. I left my phone in your car. Should I run real quick and get it or do you mind?"

"Oh, no. No worries. This whole smell of science is making me crave an aromatic latte anyway, so I'll just meet you downstairs with your cell phone. Bye."

"Bye."

"Thanks."

As soon as Chloe left the apartment Lois whirled around to face Lana incredulously.

"What's the matter with you? You were supposed to take Chloe shopping so that I could finish everything with the party. You're just lucky I convinced Clark to help with the decorations."

"Right. Must've slipped my mind."

"Well, get some traction. Little Miss Reporter there, she can smell a ruse a mile away." Turning toward the door and facing away from Lana, she wondered if Chloe could be listening in from the other side of the door. She wouldn't put it past her; Lois contemplates and narrows her eyes at said door.

"I'm going to need some serious help to keep her from ferreting out whatever it is we're planning tonight," she announced with a little wince. Honestly, did little miss nosey have to try and figure everything out? How was a person supposed to surprise her?

"Ow!" Lois exclaims as Lana reached up and plucked a strand of hair from her head.

Lois turns to face Lana, glaring at her questioningly.

"Oh, no, no. That's no good," Lana says with a frown as she stares at the strand of hair.

"Well, yeah, not since you pulled it out," Lois points out a little scathingly as she rubs her head.

"It was gray," Lana says plainly in response.

"I don't have gray hair."

Lana looks at her as if to disagree and Lois starts to second guess herself. She had found what she had thought was one not too long ago in the old timeline. Liam had been so kind as to point it out for her. Even that though, had turned out to be a left over blond streak in her dark brown tresses, much to her relief and Liam's dismay.

But who could really be that certain?

"I'm just going to use your bathroom for a second."

Lois rushes away and into the bathroom with a frown. That's all she needs right now. As she looks through her hair closely she can't help but sigh in relief. It was just a false alarm and she shouldn't have worried. Lana sure is acting weird though Lois thinks as she leaves the bathroom and notices Lana leave the apartment. Now where is she headed?

Lois follows curiously and makes sure that Chloe doesn't spot her from the other side of the room from a booth. It was really mean just leaving her like this but she had a feeling that she knew where Lana was headed. But it made no sense. She couldn't feel surprised when she ended up standing in front of the Kent farm.

Lana was acting very strange and she really needed to find out what was going on. And it better not have anything to do with wanting Clark back—because, quite frankly—she couldn't have him.  
In the kitchen the table is covered with shreds of blue wrapping paper, blue and red bows and ribbon, scissors, and tape. She couldn't have picked better colors for Clark to be wrapping with; she thought smugly and moved slightly more out of view.

He has clumsily wrapped a large box in the blue paper and is now fidgeting with a large red ribbon, trying to tie it around the box. Lois finds it hard to muffle a little laugh as he finally settles on a simple shoelace-type bow and slaps it, satisfied. Then he picks up one of the pre-made red bows and slaps that on top of the ribbon. He sits down and turns the gift around, inspecting it and Lois can't help but wonder if Lana had taken the long way. Just as she turns to look for the other girl, Lana enters behind him. Her manner is coy and mysterious and that makes Lois want to growl. She holds it in of course, but just barely.

"Maybe you need a woman's touch," Lana said in a huskier than normal voice.

Clark stands up and turns around to look at her, surprised to see her but to Lois' relief the sparkle of happiness that was always present when he looked at her wasn't there with Lana.

"Hey, Lana."

"Hello, Clark. It's a big box."

"It's, um, it's a gift for Chloe. Lois and I got it for her," he said with a smile back to the horribly wrapped present.

"Well, I'm sure that she'll love it. Especially if it's from you," Lana returned while walking slowly toward Clark, smiling up at him. She is holding the pair of scissors from the table behind her back and Lois frowns in disbelief.

What is this girl up to?

"Actually, Lois really had the idea of getting it for her. I just helped her find it," Clark informs her and Lois smirks. It had been a brilliant idea. Chloe would love the gift: the same type of typewriter that Nellie Blye had used…

"Sure Clark, whatever," Lana dismissed the gift and Lois as well it seemed, with a wave of her hand and moved to stand even closer.  
"Are you, uh, feeling okay? You seem a little, uh...different," Clark said looking very uncomfortable with her that close.

"Well, maybe it's the company."

Lana puts a hand on Clark's face and moves to drag it down his cheek but is intercepted by Clark as he pushes it away.

"You have Jason now," Clark reminds her and stands up quickly unsure of what else to do.

"So?"

"So? That doesn't sound like you Lana but even if you didn't—it wouldn't work between us."

"Why not?" Lana asks with a scowl and quickly advances on him again bringing the scissors slightly up but still out of sight. If Lois didn't know Clark was invulnerable, she'd be worried and intervene but this was getting pretty interesting.

"Lois."

Oh.

Wow.

Her dreamy state must have matched Clark's because he didn't even notice when Lana brought the scissors up and tried to cut some of his hair. The loud metallic clank alerted Lois immediately and she quickly strode into the room to finally interrupt.

"What are you doing?" Clark and Lois both ask simultaneously and Lana gapes at both of them before closing off her expression into one of complete innocence.

"I need a lock of your hair for a scrapbook I'm making for Chloe's birthday."

Really?

"Well, all you had to do was ask," Clark bit out in annoyance.

"Well, where's the fun in that?" Lana asks with a smirk and it's Lois' turn to gape.

"You call chasing him around with a pair of scissors fun?" Lois asks incredulously.

Clark just stares at Lana, trying to figure out what's wrong with her.

Lana merely shrugs and holds up the two pieces of the mentioned scissors.

"What happened to these?"

"They were broken already," Clark replies firmly and takes them out of her grasp.

Sure they were Clark, Lois mentally laughs and stares in astonishment as Clark reaches up to his head and pulls out a strand of hair. He hands the hair to Lana and she smiles happily.

"Here."

You'd think she was making a potion or something…

"Is that enough?"

Lana holds up the hair and looks at it closely. All of a sudden she frowns and walks off in a huff leaving Lois and Clark standing there confused as ever.

"…A lock of your hair for a scrapbook?" Lois asks the just as bewildered Clark with a grimace and he just shrugs in response.

"I'm going to go snoop around in her apartment," Lois announces truthfully with an excited grin and Clark's eyes quickly lock onto hers about to argue.

"Don't argue farm boy. I'm going to do it no matter what. There's no stopping me and there never will be; so get used to it," she says and whirls away before he can put up a fight.

* * *

Lois didn't really know what she was looking for, didn't know what she planned to find to further convince herself that Lana had gone crazy but as she stepped into the apartment above the Talon for the second time that day, she didn't really think it would be a difficult investigation. Nothing had gone wrong so far:

Front door left unlocked?

Check.

No one around to catch her snooping…

Check.

List of ingredients for some potion…

Check—Wait what? She quickly picked up the sheet of paper again and scanned it over. She had thought the bubbling cauldrons on the counter top a weird science project but this list was even stranger and she had even crossed items off. She still needed…

"Hair of two virgins!" Lois exclaimed in a loud mutter and unconsciously brought a hand up to rub her head before frowning.

"Gray hair my ass! I'm just glad you didn't get what you needed," Lois announced triumphantly before really realizing what she was saying she was proud of; that she wasn't member of the 'V' squad—hadn't been for a long time, in her opinion, after having been married to insatiable Clark Kent. Just as soon as the smirk reached her face it fell away as she remembered that Lana hadn't been pleased about Clark's hair either.

"But that doesn't make any sense," she scowled and continued to scavenge around the apartment for more clues. "What could be wrong with Clark's hair—besides it being abnormally strong?"

She picked up a few other papers but didn't really see anything special and carelessly tossed them to the floor. "I know for a fact that Clark hasn't slept with anyone!" She growled aloud and blew out the candles that were still lit as if to blow away her frustration. There was no point in letting this place burn down; she calls it home for a while after all…

The woods?

Lois tilts her head to the side to read over the scribble on the corner of the paper that now lay on the floor. It says simply 'the woods'—but that makes perfect sense, she finally realizes with a groan. Lana had sent a message last time around to meet her in the woods and then, well, and then she couldn't really quite remember what happened after and then. Or at least, she couldn't remember what happened after the woods but before waking up in the caves in a scantily clad. Or rather, skankily clad, she reaffirmed with a little chuckle.

"That still doesn't explain why Clark's hair didn't work though, or maybe it didn't work because it was Kryptonian? Maybe it had never worked before and she just didn't know it?

"Yah," Lois nodded at her own conclusion and once again left the apartment. She had gotten all she would out of it. The Clark hair thing would just have to wait, she thought and ignored Chloe's call. Her cousin should really be surprised about the party this time, after being pretty much ignored all day. It seemed to work pretty well but now it was time to head for the woods. Maybe get there before Lana the psycho and see what she was doing. She could add the Clark's hair question to the list of 'weird things I have to ask Lara' she had been compiling. It was due time for a visit to Ms. 'Kryptic' anyway but it would have to wait.

Lois would have been there sooner, been ready to snoop around a bit in the woods, if she hadn't taken that wrong turn at that big tree. Now, she felt like she was going in circles and would have believed it possible had not the woods been getting even denser with every step she took.

"Stupid…branches…and mud…why…stupid….ugh," Lois kept on muttering as she made her way even farther in. It hadn't been a very good idea to take the back way. She had been worried at first that Lana would get there first, now she was just worried about surviving. At least she had her phone, and the knowledge that Smallville would be able to hear her if she screamed. But she wouldn't and couldn't give up, and it had nothing to do with being stubborn.

"Right Lois, keep on lying to yourself," Lois said with a grimace as another branch hit her in the face and her cell phone vibrated again. Chloe had been calling non stop, as well as Lana. They were probably all buddy buddy now and Chloe probably already figured out about her surprise party.

"Damn it. No matter what I do, I just can't change some things."

"Lois?" She heard Chloe call out from not too far from her left.

At last!

"Are you talking to yourself?" Came Chloe's response to her grunt and Lois refused to answer but continued to push her way through. Finally, she made it through the last of it and almost stumbled out of the shrubbery. Lois glared at her cousin when she heard the muffled giggles and stalked away from her over to Lana with a little growl.

It was all her fault really.

"Okay, what are we doing in the woods and what's up with the moonlight nature hike?"

"I thought it'd be nice to get together with my girls before the party."

"What party?" Chloe asks with an innocent smile and Lois threw her arms in the air in disbelief and resignation.

"Way to ruin the surprise," she exclaimed in Lana's direction needing to take out her frustration on someone.

"Oh, you mean the party that you've been planning for the last month?" Chloe states so matter of fact that Lois narrows her eyes at her cousin.

"You know about that?"

"Uh, hello. Investigative reporter. Nothing gets past me. Except why we're playing wood nymph when there's a party waiting for me with my name on it."

"Couldn't you, just once, forget about the reporter hoopla and pretend to be normal?" Lois asks and feels a little hypocritical. But it wasn't as if Chloe actually does become an investigative reporter--

"Then we'd better hurry," Lana snaps Lois out of her rant and Chloe just continues to look toward her with astonishment. Lana picks up three goblets from a picnic basket and hands one to Chloe and one to Lois.

"You look like Hell Lois, why don't you have a drink?" Lana says with a sickly sweet smile that Lois doesn't bother returning and instead she snatches the glass out of her hand.

"Thanks."

"A toast, in honor of this special night."

"All right. This is getting better," Lois agrees reluctantly with the crazy Lana and realizes that she could use a glass of wine to calm her down. After that trek through the woods, she deserved it.

"No matter how much time passes, old friends are never forgotten."

"I'll drink to that," Chloe agrees with a bright smile and Lois can't help but return it.

"Cheers."

"Cheers," The cousins say at the same time before they clink their glasses together and Lana holds her glass near her mouth without drinking.

If Lois had been thinking clearly, she would have second guessed this effort to draw them into the woods and give them wine. But, quite frankly, she had other things on her mind: a reminder to herself never to use the back way into the woods again, a gruff acknowledgment that Clark was right and she always manages to land herself into trouble and the main topic on her mind was Clark Kent himself. Or more importantly, his lips and—she really needed to stop thinking about it, she thinks with a roll of her eyes and drinks.

Several loud thunderclaps are heard as lightning flashes and a strong wind starts to blow. Lois looks at her glass strangely. Then just as their eyes start turning pink, Lois and Chloe both throw their heads back roughly, looking toward the sky and gasping. When they return to their normal upright positions, the wind and thunder stop. Lois and Chloe look around as if unsure of where they are.

"Madeline. Briana. Welcome to the 21st century," Lana greets them both with a smile.

"How did we come to be here?" Chloe asks with wide eyes and looks around in astonishment.

"The last spell I cast before Wilkins condemned me to the pyre. My blood entwined with the symbol in the book which called to my heir. And when she touched it, I gained possession of her body and brought you back."

"I'm gorgeous!" Lois exclaimed and pushed up her breasts with an excited smile. "Look at these!"

"Yes. They're very nice," Lana says dryly uninterested.

"Ah, the woods of France. I'd know them anywhere," Chloe announces with a deep breath as if recognizing a well known memory.

"We're in Kansas, Madeline."

"Where?" Lois asks in bewilderment and looks around.

"The Americas. I am unsure as to why I was resurrected here. It was not of my intention, but—"

"The book! Do you have it?" Chloe interrupted and Lana smiles and looks at the picnic basket sitting nearby on the ground. The spell book rests next to the wine bottle in the basket.

"It is ours once again. And with it, our magics. Now we may continue our quest for the stones of—"

"Oh, uh... Is that the same quest that got us burned at the stake?"

"That was not pleasant," Lois agrees seriously with a shake of her head.

"A small toll to travel the road of ultimate power," Lana reassures them both and when they continue to look at her skeptically she sighs in frustration.

"You have your hosts' memories. Use them to navigate this world and help us to seize the power."

Lois and Chloe smile at Lana and she smiles in return. This will be fun, Lois thinks with a smirk as she delves further into the mind of her host. It seems Lois Lane had a lot of memories to sort through, and if they were anything to go by, she couldn't wait to meet this 'Clark Kent". He seemed to be important to her and with the emotions she was feeling at the moment, he just had to be gorgeous.

* * *

With a loud clank, the double doors at the front of the barn slide open and Lois, Lana and Chloe stand silhouetted in blue moonlight. They enter the barn purposefully, walking in perfect stride with each other and Lois narrowly misses hitting her head on a hanging star.

She shoots the decoration a glare before shaking her head and smiling dumbly at the crowd of people. All three of them are wearing tight and provocative black clothing and black high-heeled boots and while everyone applauds for Chloe, Lois tugs at the top of her dress uncomfortably. Lana looks at her intensely trying to figure out why Briana seemed so different—not her usual ditzy self—but was distracted when a loud cheer erupted from the guests.

"Surprise!"

A large banner is hanging that says "Happy Birthday Chloe." The whole place is decorated and music plays as the guests mingle. A lot of people are there, but the party is calm. Lois's eyes don't take long to pinpoint her target and when she noticed Clark looking over at them very strangely a bright smile lights up her face.

"We don't have time for this," Lana said with an impatient sigh and looked about uninterested.

"Time is the only thing we do have. Isn't that what you said right before the angry mob set us on fire?" Chloe retorted making a beeline for the table of food.

"You're really not going to let that go, are you?" The irritation is obvious in Lana's tone but she moves further into the party.

Lois could feel her heart beat rapidly with desire as Clark quickly approached and pulled her aside. He was even more adorable in person, she thought giddily before looking around bewildered. She looked back up at him and opened her mouth to speak when he beat her to it.

"The guy from Princeton's going to be here any minute; why are you so late?"

"I took the scenic route." Not even bothering to hide her appreciation, she looked him up and down, her eyes full of lust.

"Love the view."

"Have you been drinking?" Clark asks in surprise and covers her hands in his as they slowly make their way up his chest.

Lois merely smiles in response to his question. As she leans more fully into to him and stretches to meet his lips with her own, she suddenly takes a step back and grasps her head before shutting her eyes as if in pain. She misses the worry and concern that now take precedent in his eyes as she falls into him and rests her head against his strong chest.

"Are you okay?"

"Where are the kids?" The whisper was almost a plea, one Clark found he couldn't answer, didn't know how to even begin to answer. She wasn't making any sense.

"What are you talking about?"

"You have to know them!" Lois exclaimed and he drew a sharp breath when she raised her head. Her usually bright, amused eyes were filled with so much pain. He never wanted to see this anguish again and made a vow to himself that he would never be the cause of it.

"I don't. I'm so sorry," Clark replied miserably, wishing he could give her a different answer.

"They were real," she said and pushed herself slowly away from him. "They were beautiful," she finishes softly and Clark could only nod.

_They were ours_, Lois thought and before she had the chance to bask in Clark's strength, borrow a little for herself, she felt herself slipping away mentally and once again a confused smile lit up her face.

"Thank you," she said, almost oblivious to all that had happened and Clark could only look on in astonishment into the eyes of a stranger. Before he could say a word, Lois spun about and made her way over to Lana where Chloe is standing at the refreshment table stuffing as much food as she could into her mouth.

"The food is so good in this century!"

"And the men actually bathe."

"And their bodies are so hard!" Lois added to the commentary sending Clark another lustful glance. He stared back at her fiercely and she met his gaze even though it was unnerving. Lana takes both Lois and Chloe by the hand and starts leading them to the door obviously fed up with the party.

"But we have definitely had better celebrations. This is appalling."

"We could change that," Chloe smiled mischievously at Lana. Lana looks from Chloe to Lois, thinking it over.

"Well, it has been 400 years. Perhaps a little fun before we continue our quest," She agreed with a small smirk and all three of them turned around and pointed at the guests of the party with their index and small fingers. A wind started to blow through the barn as the lights dimmed and a pink orb began to glow over each of their hands. Clark once again met Lois's eyes and made a move in their direction. Before he could take even two steps, they cast their spell.

"Liberate bestia!"

The pink energy above their hands exploded and filled the room. When it faded away, dance music was playing loudly and everybody in the room was dancing manically. Several guests, both men and women, were in nothing but their underwear.

A man dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase enters. The man Clark has been waiting for from Princeton University. He steps through a beaded doorway and jumps out of the way of a shirtless young man and woman who run by him. He looks around the room, taken aback, and starts to make his way through the half naked dancers.

"Pardon me," he tried to intervene, looking away from the dancing uncomfortably

He taps a young man on the shoulder.

"Where's Clark Kent?"

The young man points to the stairs to the loft. Mr. Jacobson looks up and sees Clark in his boxers dancing with reckless abandon with Lois.

"Clark!"

Clark looks down to see who called his name.

"Clark!"

Clark smiles down at him, still dancing.

"Mr. Jacobson, Princeton University," the man introduces himself hoping to get some sort of reaction that would serve to show him that this young man actually had his education in mind.

"Hey, come on in! Join the party! Whoo!"

Nope.

Jacobson looks around as if he can't believe his eyes and ears. Clark continues to dance and pulls an eager Lois closer to him. She wraps her arms around his neck in a dancing embrace and he doesn't resist at all when she pushes herself more firmly into him and locks her lips onto his.

As soon as her lips crushed into his, Clark was lost. She could tell by the way his lips softened and parted under hers that she had completely bewitched him. Lois' hands fisted in his hair to pull him even closer then before and he willingly leaned more firmly against her. His arms tightened like a vice around her waist and she could only moan her approval. He tasted the same as in her memories; like she knew he would. Knowing that he would continue to kiss her without further assistance, Lois released her grip on his hair to allow her hands free range of his body but as soon as her fingers began to trail down his bare back she was jolted into awareness.

Something wasn't right and for an instant, the urge to retreat hammered into her head. She needed to think, but her thoughts couldn't fight their way through the sensations. She was being pulled in two different directions: one fleetingly aware that she never wanted to stop kissing Clark Kent, and the other, painfully reminding her that she wasn't herself. That for some reason she didn't have full control over her body and anything that happened here with him would be a farce. And she never wanted that with Clark. Never wanted him to feel guilty for feeling passion and when the spell came to an end—she knew that's just what he would feel…

"Shut up!" Lois muttered against his lips and Clark pulled back with a dazed expression to look at her in bewilderment. He was too far gone to question her and she took advantage of this fact by pulling him into an even deeper kiss.

The growl could have come from either one of them, Lois wasn't quite sure but as she moved her hands to grip his shoulders she found she didn't care. She wanted him and so she would have him. He let out a grunt as Lois pushed him strongly into a beam but continued to kiss her.

And then the strangest thing occurred—and he has seen his fair share of weird. His head began to pulse and ache and the feelings he had for her grew even more intense before a blinding flash of light finally caused him to pull away and fall to his knees, Lois along side of him gripping her own head in pain before passing out.

_Clark hadn't seen Lois since right before their lunch hour. They had made plans early morning yesterday to try out the new burrito place down the street but when their source Bill Ding got in touch with them to meet at the usual spot Lois had reluctantly changed the plans for today. And now it seemed that she was standing him up._

_Are wives allowed to stand their husbands up?_

_Probably, Clark thought grudgingly and made his way over to his desk. She had been acting grouchy all last night and today and running off to the bank robbery an hour ago probably didn't help matters. But Lois would never let him rescuing someone effect her in the:  
'I'm-so-mad-at-you-that-we're-not-going-to-talk-and-if-I-had-some-Kryptonite-I'd-be-thinking-of-using-It' way. She is proud of him for being Superman and for that he was grateful._

_After eating a couple dozen donuts for lunch he once again surveyed the newsroom. There was still no sign of her. She could just be annoyed with him, which does happen—but the last time it had, he had run out during—_

_"Hey C.K.!" Jimmy greeted with a smile and fidgeted with his camera._

_--But he hadn't done that ever again. Never would, but it had seemed necessary at the time considering he had been the one to start the fire in the next building over with his heat vision. But who could really blame him…_

_"She's still mad at you?" Jimmy asked with a look of sympathy that finally tore Clark away from his thoughts. _

_"Why—what have you heard?" Clark asked hurriedly wondering if he could get any information out of the photographer. _

_"You mean, besides her grumbling something about it all being your fault and stomping out of the Planet?"_

_"Yeah…" Clark trailed off unsure if he wanted the younger man to continue._

_"Nothing," Jimmy answered with a smile and saw Clark let out a breath. "Man would I hate to be you though C.K.—what did you do anyway?"_

_"Usually I would wonder the same thing Jimmy, but I've run yesterday through my head and this morning and have come up empty."_

_"Forget her Birthday?"_

_Clark shook his head no but checked his mental calendar just in case. He still had a couple of weeks for that event and truth of the matter was: Lois was more likely to forget his than he hers._

_"Anniversary?"_

_That wasn't for another month and a half, he was sure of it, and so he shook his head again._

_"Didn't notice a new hairdo?" Jimmy asked with eyes narrowed in contemplation._

_"No. Look Jimmy, I'm going to go and look for her. Could you let the Chief know that I'll probably be gone for the rest of the day," Clark informed him and didn't wait for a response as he made his way to the stairs. He didn't even notice Jimmy's eyes shoot nervously towards Perry White's office or catch the "like hell I will," because he was so focused on finding his wife._

_Clark had spent the rest of the day looking for her. At 4 in the afternoon he really started to worry. He had only stopped looking to put out a fire and rescue a kitten. She hadn't answered her cell phone and he had searched all of the kidnapping Lane hotspots as Superman._

_Suicide slum._

_The Docks._

_A couple rooftops._

_The sewers._

_Even a few lead lined bunkers._

_She was no where to be found and he couldn't think of anywhere else to look. But maybe she didn't want to be found?_

_Sitting in the air above the clouds he carefully bobbled the mewing kitten in his arm and tucked her more firmly to his chest while getting out his cell phone. He could only think to call Chloe—she had to know where Lois was hiding!_

_"No service!" He exclaimed in disgust and looked at the phone in anger. Allowing himself to drop a hundred yards in the air before he tried again and still had no bars. With a frustrated huff that Lois would be proud of, he flew off to the other side of town and stopped only when he could sit on one of the phone towers._

_"Now tell me no service," he demanded smugly and smirked when the phone began to ring never thinking once that it probably would have been faster just to visit Chloe._

_"Hello."_

_"Hey Chlo—I was wondering if you've seen Lois. I haven't seen her all day and—"_

_Meow._

_"Was that a cat?" _

_"What—oh, yeah. I saved it from a tree—"_

_"Right and you still have it because…"_

_He hadn't thought of that._

_"I've always wanted a kitten."_

_"No you haven't"_

_"And I think Lois wouldn't mind, she is pretty cuddly."_

_"Lois?"_

_"No, well, yeah but the kitten is too."_

_He held the phone away from his ear as the laughter came across from the other side._

_"So have you seen her?" Clark asked un-amused when the laughter continued on. "Chlo it wasn't that funny and I'm really worried about Lois…"_

_"Did you try at home?" Chloe finally managed in a serious tone. _

_"Home?"_

_He had never thought of that._

_"Yes Clark, the home you share with Lois…"_

_"Thanks Chloe. See you later," he said quickly and shut his phone off without waiting for the reply and super sped home._

_"Honey!" He called out in greeting as soon as he entered their apartment. He heard some cursing and muttering while setting down the kitten on the couch and smiled. She was here._

_"What do you want," Lois growled slightly from the direction of the kitchen and he winced slightly but stayed firmly in place next to the couch._

_"Have you been here all day?"_

_"No."_

_"Oh."_

_A pause._

_"Where were you?"_

_"Out."_

_"Oh."_

_Clark slowly began the walk to the kitchen and wished for the fifth time today that he knew what was going on with her. His steps halted in the doorway and his mouth dropped open in shock._

_Obviously Lois had been to the grocery store. He didn't really think they had been out of anything though. Bags of groceries—some empty, others still full of stuff—lined the walls and floor of the room. But that wasn't even the most shocking compared to what he next saw. Lois Lane—cooking!_

_"What are you doing?"_

_"What does it look like Smallville?" Lois asked sarcastically without looking up but at least she used her nickname for him. That was a good sign. _

_But if Lois cooking wasn't bad enough, the fact that Lois has been cooking all day worried him. Along the countertops were a variety of different cooked meals. The smell alone should have warned him away but he was determined to get to the bottom it all._

_"It looks like you're cooking," he pointed out with a smile and lifted a spoon of mush out of a pot before letting it drop again with a slight grimace. Apparently that was supposed to be, well he wasn't quite sure what it was and so he moved on._

_"I am."_

_"But you don't cook," he reminded her softly and lifted a dark brown (burnt) cookie to his lips to taste it. He couldn't even bite into it and tossed it nonchalantly into the trash before Lois could see when she finally turned her face to look over at him._

_"Don't you mean can't cook?" She asked and because he knew her so well he saw past the humor on her face immediately. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and he cursed himself for not understanding her pain. _

_What the heck is going on, he thought but smiled tenderly at her._

_"Well I don't know about that Lois. Lasagna is really hard to make," he tries to reassure her and points to the dish. "And this looks mmMm good."_

_She merely narrows her eyes at him._

_"Good," he says again and then turns toward the spaghetti plate with a fork. It seemed he was at the counter of pasta dinners. "And this spaghetti—it's great!" He exclaimed and swallowed a bite most convincingly._

_"Clark, just stop it," Lois ordered softly with a sigh. It was no wonder she married this wonderful man. Only Clark Kent would look happy about eating her crunchy spaghetti. "I can't even make microwavable dinners turn out right," she said with a mocking laugh and pointed to the 'microwavable dinners counter'. There were at least ten of them and Lois had discovered a different way to ruin each one._

_"By the way the microwave is broken," Lois said off handedly and pulled a lopsided cake out of the oven._

_"How did that happen anyway?" He asked motioning towards the said appliance and they both jumped slightly when it sparked._

_"Beats me but the potatoes I had in it just disappeared!"_

_"…As in…gone?"_

_"As in I stuck the darn things inside, came back later and all that was left was a broken plate!'_

_"Wow."_

_"Yeah. So I think you should go out and buy a new one," she informed him and turned back to the stove all the while shaking one of those 'all ready just add water' pancake mixes. As she began to pour it out he couldn't help but notice the lumps but his attention was soon diverted to the now slightly flaming microwave. He took care of it with a little blast of his freeze breath and turned back around to her with an innocent smile. Lois gave him a dubious look and left the pancakes to go inspect her cookies._

_"Those didn't turn out too bad," he commented casually and Lois shot him a resigned look._

_"They were pre-made already cut and everything and I ruined them Clark! Who does that?"_

_"The best damn reporter I know," Clark answered and moved to turn off the stove and oven. Surprisingly, she let him lead her out of the kitchen with barely a struggle but he didn't miss the smug smile that graced her face after his comment. She is the best and she knows it._

_"And you know a lot of reporters."_

_"Yup._

_So where were you today and what were you so upset about earlier?" Clark got right to the point._

_"I was just out and what makes you think I was upset?"_

_"You threw a donut at me."_

_Oh yeah, she had forgotten about that._

_"And Jimmy said he heard you grumbling about how everything was all my fault."_

_It is._

_"It is!'_

_"Yeah, but what Lois?"_

_"Can't we talk about this later?"_

_"I don't know…"_

_"Because right now I'm hungry—"_

_"After cooking all day?" Clark exclaimed in astonishment._

_"I think you're missing the point Clark," Lois said with a smile and pushed him down onto the couch before following him down and straddling his thighs._

_"Not anymore," he said in a low murmur while wrapping his arms around her and leaning up to kiss her. "I haven't gotten to kiss you all day," he informed her sadly and made a move to change that fact to which she was all for. Before his lips could meet hers she turned her head to the side and he caught her chin instead. "Why is there a kitten staring at us?"_

_He turned to see the black, white, and orange ball of fluff cuddled into the arm of the couch and it was indeed looking over._

_"I rescued the little tyke from a tree."_

_"What a boy scout!" Lois said with a laugh causing Clark to frown up at her. "But that doesn't explain why it's here…"_

_"She didn't have a home—I checked, don't worry, and so I thought that maybe we could…keep her?"_

_"Clark…" Lois began with a sigh and refused to be swayed by the pours coming from the other end of the seat. _

_Before she had the chance to argue Clark decided to use her mode of distraction and crushed his lips into hers with all of the passion and love he felt for her. How had she gone an entire day without kissing this man? She returned the kiss just as enthusiastically before pulling away breathless._

_"Ok, she can stay," she agreed and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him into another embrace. He allowed himself to be lost in her kiss for a few moments before remembering that he had promised himself to make sure Lois was okay._

_"Lo?" He tried to get her attention and pulled his lips away from hers._

_"Hm?" She asked but kept right on kissing him, making her way across his jaw and down the strong column of his neck. When she had his tie off and shirt half way unbuttoned Clark finally found the strength to push her away gently._

_"I know something's bothering you and I don't think we should—until you tell me," He explained and when she made a move to protest he tenderly cupped her face in his hands. "I never want to see you this upset Lois and certainly never because of me."_

_"Oh Clark. It's not you—well, it is mostly you're fault but you have to know how happy you make me," she tried to emphasize that point with her eyes and Clark smiled brightly at her complete sincerity._

_"What do you mean my fault though, what did I do?"_

_"Oh I might as well tell you."_

_"Tell me what?"_

_"But I was hoping to be able to at least make one appetizing meal so our family won't starve and I didn't feel like a failure..."_

_That's what she was so worried about?_

_"I can cook Lois! It only takes me like 5 seconds to make dinner. You never have to worry about that. You know I can eat anything and I love you just the way you are."_

_"It's not like I could hide it for long…"_

_"Hide what Lois?"_

_"Especially not after the fifth month—maybe even before that if I continue to eat so much chocolate…"_

_"Lois!" Clark finally said in exasperation to get her attention and Lois halted mid babble._

_"What?"_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_She was silent for a moment before moving off of his lap to sit next to him on the couch. She took his hand in hers and Clark was astonished to feel hers shaking in his. Finally she was able to meet his eyes and what he saw in her depths made him happier than he had ever believed he could be. He saw himself, all of the love she felt for him, and worry but also excitement._

_"I'm pregnant."_

* * *

Inside the barn, party decorations from the night before are strewn all over the ground. The guests are all gone. A cell phone starts to ring, and Clark sits up behind several bales of hay where he had been sleeping. He shakes his head to clear the dreamy dazed expression that was caused by his dream and looks at the caller ID on his phone, has a brief moment of panic, and then answers rubbing his head.

"Hey, Mom. Yeah, how's Metropolis? Really? I'm glad you're having a great time."

Clark tugs at his pants which are lying next to him but seem to be stuck under something. With another tug he soon realizes that they are stuck under a young man and woman who are also sleeping nearby. They both get up and run out of the barn. He then finally notices the sleeping Lois on the ground next to him and smiles softly.

"What? Oh, yeah, the guy-- the guy from Princeton. Yeah, I met him last night. I, um... Don't worry. I-I think I made an impression," Clark says while standing to put on his pants and looks at a dangling line of strung lights miserably.

He turns off the phone after a quick good bye and kneels down next to Lois. He gently lays a hand on her shoulder to wake her and she barely stirs.

"Lois," he whispers afraid of what he will see when she opens her eyes; afraid that he hadn't just been dreaming and had in fact seen a stranger in those beautiful depths earlier on. Someone so different from the person he has come to know; someone so different than even in his dreams. At least she has clothes on; he muses inwardly and then almost as suddenly disagrees with himself. The leather outfit she was wearing could hardly be called clothes—and they looked dang near uncomfortable…

"This outfit sucks," she mutters huskily and moves to a seated position with his help. He has to smile at her tone, thinking that only his Lois, the real Lois could be that to the point just after waking.

"Are you okay?"

"No," she answers truthfully as she stands. She looks at him almost reluctantly before muttering a few words he couldn't understand and in a flash she was gone.

* * *

Clark enters his barn determinedly and looks around but doesn't see anyone. She had told him, after saving the life of Jason Teague, to meet her here at midnight. Where was she? He knew she was behind everything and he planned to stop her.

Lana speaks from the loft and Clark turns around to see her standing on the upper level with Chloe and Lois. He allows his eyes to linger a moment on the once again blank eyes of Lois before hardening his expression.

"You're early. You're not planning something devious, are you, Clark?" Lana asks in a low voice that seemed to mock his ready stance.

"What did you do to Lex and Jason?" He grits out through slightly clenched teeth and manages to lock gazes with Lois again. He could have sworn he saw a spark of life, of her old fire but it vanished too quickly. This only made him even more determined than before.

"Nothing compared to what we're going to do to you."

"Surgite!" Lois yells out the spell with a hand in the air and before Clark can feel relief at the apology and pain on her face he is hit with the brunt of the wagon wheel she had shot through the air. It knocks him across the barn and he lands on the ground. The girls come down the stairs as Clark stands back up, unharmed.

"I don't know what's going on, but this needs to stop before it gets out of hand," he warns all three of them.

"So you're more than just fast. Well, that'll make this a whole lot more exciting," Chloe says and smiles at Lana, then steps forward holding her arms out to both sides. She then brings them together.

"Incede!"

Several tools rise into the air including pliers, a wrench, and a blade from an electric saw. They come together in front of Chloe, and then fly at Clark one by one. He shoots bolts of heat vision at each tool, knocking them all out of the air. All three women watch him, astounded.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Clark almost pleads with them.

"Your magics are impressive," Lana says in awe of his abilities but soon enough the smug look returns to dominate her expression.

"Magic?" Clark asks with a frown, his confusion apparent.

"But so are mine. Evertere!" Lana points at Clark. He raises high into the air, convulsing and struggling to break free of her tightening invisible hold.

"We have traveled through the ages to complete our quest, outwitting death itself! We will not be outdone by some farm boy with a few tricks," Lana lowers her hand in irritation and Clark drops to the floor. Chloe and Lois both kneel down next to him.

"He's not what he seems, Isobel," Chloe states the obvious.

"I can feel his power," Lois adds with a smile while running a hand over his firm chest.

"Then perhaps we should rid him of it."

Clark looks up at them with bruises on his face and blood dripping from his lip.

"Chloe. You gotta help. I know you're in there."

Chloe seems to freeze and then asks him in a very serious tone with worry apparent in her gaze, "Clark?"

"Listen to me. You gotta help me," he begs trying to break her free from whatever control Lana held over her. He couldn't bring himself to look at Lois again and find out that he couldn't really see her.

Chloe looks distressfully from Clark to Lois. Then she breaks into hysterical laughter, revealing that she was only pretending to be affected by Clark's words. Lois laughs too but it seems forced and fake. Lana kneels down over Clark and rips his shirt open, putting her hands on his bare chest. She chants in Latin quietly and doesn't notice Lois frowning down at her all the while.

A bright light begins to shine out of Clark's chest and a long purple-white string of energy flies from Clark and out of the barn.

"It is done. His powers are gone."

Lana and Chloe stand up and back away from Clark who is now unconscious. They smile down at him triumphantly while Lois is slow to rise; shaken by what she had witnessed. There would be no point in confronting the other two—not now, not when they could knock even Clark unconscious not when she couldn't get this body snatching witch out of her head. But she had to do something, her heart was screaming at her to and so she leaned down once again and tried to pull him up.

"Good idea Briana, we should probably make sure he stays put," Lana agrees and raises an arm.

Lois couldn't help but feel a little relieved when the weight of him went slack and he started to rise. He had been too heavy for her to lift by herself but the momentary respite soon turned sour as she watched—barely containing her horror—as Clark was tied to the wooden railing.

"What are you doing to him?"

"Even without his magics he is dangerous. I will not have him ruining my plans," Lana bit out and looked at Lois angrily. "I will not have you destroying them either Lois Lane," the witch muttered with narrowed eyes and sent Lois flying.

"Maybe that will knock some sense back into you," Chloe said and nodded. Lois managed to push herself to her feet once again and if she could have, would have cursed aloud in frustration. It seemed that Briana was running the show once again. Life sucks.

When Clark began to become aware once again of his surroundings he realized that he was chained to a wooden railing in the barn. He struggles to get free but can't. Lois, Lana, and Chloe watch him. Clark has bruises all over his face and blood trailing from his nose and lips.

"He awakens."

"What have you done to me?"

"We made sure you were no longer a threat, sorcerer."

"I'm not a sorcerer."

"You're not? You sure?" Chloe asks in puzzlement.

"No. He's something else; something special. I could sense it when the magics were ripped from your body. The three stones of power; you know of them, don't you?"

"I've never heard of them."

Chloe and Lois walk to Clark slowly.

"You've done more than hear of them. You've touched them."

"We can feel it."

"There's more," Lana says mysteriously causing all three of them to look towards her. "You know where one of them is hidden."

"Tell us where it is, Clark."

Chloe runs her hand gently down Clark's chest.

"Please tell us," Lois pleads agreeing with Briana and not wanting to see how they would extract the information if he didn't.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Clark informs them adamantly.

"Let me cut it out of you," Chloe says determined and claws her fingernails down Clark's chest, drawing blood.

"Ah!"

"No!" Lois exclaims and Chloe stops hurting Clark, looking at Lois questioningly.

"There are easier ways to get what we want, you know this to be true," she urges Lana to see things her way. Chloe backs away from Clark and licks the blood off of one of her fingers. Lana comes toward Clark and Lois very slowly.

"And what would you have me do Briana?"

"I will do it."

"You?" Lana laughs out mockingly and is stunned when Lois doesn't back away but narrows her eyes instead.

"He's mine."

A pause.

"And you know it. He only wants me and therefore I can only extract the information that you need," Lois muses a bit too smugly but she's right.

Lana stalks away with a huff to stand next to Chloe again and watches as Lois kisses Clark softly on the lips.

"Demonstra," she whispers as she pulls away slightly and meets his eyes with her own. "Help me," she says even softer and kisses Clark again, slowly and sensuously. Clark returns the kiss just as lovingly. When Lois finally pulls away, a pink mist comes from Clark's mouth and surrounds her as she steps back from him. Though Clark's mouth doesn't move, the sound of his whispering voice comes from the mist.

"The cave..."

Clark looks at Lois, startled by what he has just heard, and Lana smiles.

"Thank you, Clark. You've been very helpful," she says and pulls Lois away from him. She shoots her a suspicious glance that Lois looks blankly at.

It seemed Briana had returned once again.

"That is beginning to get on my nerves," Lana mutters, referring to the personality change and Chloe laughs. Lana sighs and raises her arms with a shout "Abige!"

And they were gone in a blinding pink light.

Clark struggles against the chains binding him, but he still can't get free.

"Clark?" Jason states in shock from the opening of the barn and runs to Clark to help him get free.

"Are you all right? What happened?"

Jason releases the chains and Clark falls to the ground with Jason kneeling next to him.

"Did Lana do this to you? Take it easy, take it easy. Where is she? I need to find her."

"She's with Lois. And Chloe. But they're different. They're not themselves. It's like their bodies have been taken over."

"They have. In fact, this is gonna sound kind of out there. Let's get you up," he helps Clark stand before continuing. "Lana has been researching a 17th century witch. She tracked down her spell book, and when she touched her hand to the page—"

"Wait a second. Lana's been possessed by the spirit of an evil witch?"

"Yes. Isobel got into Lana by using the book. So we've got to find her and destroy the book."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Clark stated dryly.

"Tell me about it. Any idea where they went?"

"Uh, I'm not sure. Um, why don't you check the school? I'll go to the Talon."

"All right. Clark, call my cell if you find them, okay? Don't-- don't try anything alone. Just be careful, okay?" Jason demands as he leaves.

It was time to get Lois back; time to return to the caves.

* * *

As Lois, Lana and Chloe entered the Kawatche caves, Lois couldn't help but stare at where the wall would usually open for her. Holding her spell book in one hand, Lana quickly moved to touch a special symbol on the stone wall, the same symbol tattooed on her back. Lois could only assume that it was the symbol that made Lana go crazy, and she made a quick note to herself to never get a tattoo… Or at least…maybe only one, she reaffirmed with a nod and a smirk.

"It begins to make sense. Why I was resurrected here in this time a thousand miles from my home. It was destiny," Lana was once again talking, Lois realized with an inward roll of her eyes. She was pleasantly surprised when she sensed that Briana felt the exact same way.

Bored.

With a little shrug, she moved to walk with Chloe and Lana towards the wall which led to the secret chamber for the stones of power. They stared at the wall lustily, Briana once again dumbly unaware what was going on—but wanting whatever the other two desired as well.

Don't you ever get tired of being so stupid? Lois mocked Briana with a laugh.

"Shut up!"

"What is wrong?" Chloe asked with a perplexed look, taking her eyes away from the wall for a moment.

"She will not leave me alone!"

"Who will not?"

"Lois Lane!" She spat out in frustration, causing even Lana to take a step away from her.

Way to go, she silently cheered.

Briana smiled widely, fully pleased with Lois' compliment, but as soon as the dopey smiled appeared on her face, Lana nodded at her with a smile, once again unafraid.

"Never mind her; when I get the stones, we'll take care of her once and for all. Can you feel it? It's calling to us; the first stone of power lies behind this wall. And with it, our magic shall increase tenfold. And when we possess all the stones, we shall walk on earth as gods among men. Reach out and seize what was meant to be."  
Lana, her speech now over, opened the spell book to a page showing three symbols. She took a deep breath and pointed at the wall.

"Murus scinde!"

The wall began to open and a white light shone from the chamber. Lana, Lois, and Chloe all began to chant as they walked toward the opening.

"Volutus vita nostra est. Volutus vita nostra est. Volutus vita nostra est. Volutus vista nostra est."

The wall opened and inside the chamber, they saw the first stone of power, the one Clark took from Lex's jet, resting on the altar.

"All of our suffering, all of our pain and persecution. It ends tonight," Lana whispered in happiness.

"And our future begins," Lois agreed reluctantly wishing that there was some way for her to stop this. But she couldn't move, couldn't even speak out against Isobel without Briana blocking her off.

"Take it, Isobel. Lead us to glory," Chloe exclaimed excitedly.

"The first stone. How I've dreamed of this moment. And at last, it has arrived," Lana reached for the stone slowly, but just before her hand reaches it, the sound of a gun being cocked stops her.

"Not quite," Clark stated firmly, pointing the shotgun at them with his face still bloody and the bruises still present from their earlier attack. It was obvious he was the same as when they left him—without his powers—but now he now had a shirt on. Lois looked at his covered chest in disappointment. No matter what the circumstances, she still couldn't fight the attraction she felt for this farmboy and neither, it seemed, could Briana. She growled inwardly at the very thought of it.

"You shouldn't have come, Clark," Lana informed him, and without even looking in her direction, Lois could hear the sickly sweet smile in her tone.

"Silly boy," Chloe agreed with a pout.

"We owe you a debt for revealing this chamber to us. We were going to let you live," Lana commented sending a little glare in Lois's direction.

"I'm sorry, Lana, but I can't let you do this," Clark sadly stated as he pointed the gun more readily at her. Lana glanced at Lois for support, but she could only see Clark. She took a few steps in his direction, not caring that Lana smirked in response, and stopped just short of him. She looked on as he turned his anguished eyes from the gun to her, and she noticed the battle raging inside of him. He had yet to change his aim to her, and she was grateful.

He would never sacrifice her—could never—and even though a flash of guilt raged inside of her, she couldn't watch him struggle with himself any longer.

"You don't have a choice!" she yelled while pointing to Clark's gun and then whips her arm to the side, causing the gun to fly out of Clark's hands and across the room.

"Bear witness, Clark Kent, to the dawn of a new age," Lana cackled evilly, too preoccupied with her goal to notice the exchange between Lois and Clark.

"Call on the crystal," Lois whispered frantically locking her eyes with his. His only response is a brief nod in understanding as Lana grabs the stone off of the altar. Almost immediately, it started to glow white and burn her hand. She screamed and dropped it. Clark caught it before it hit the ground, and then he stood up slowly. The light from the rock trailed into his chest. When the light had gone, Clark's face had healed, and he stared at the women strongly.

"His powers are restored," Lois said simply, unable to hide her happiness at the fact.

"How?" Chloe looked at him in confusion.

"I'm not from around here," Clark confirmed with a little smile and glanceed over at Lois as she snorted softly in reply before allowing Briana to once again take control. It seemed that Clark could take it from here.

"It doesn't matter. We took them from you once before. Do you really believe that this time will be any different?" Lana disregarded his powers with a wave of her hand.

"I'm counting on it," Clark muttered as his eyes turned orange-red and he shoots his heat vision at the spell book in Lana's hand. Lana looked down at the page and the symbol representing Isobel began to glow white.

"No!!!"

White energy shot upward from the open book and engulfed them, knocking everyone to the floor of the cave in sleep.

Lois, Clark, Chloe and Lana all lay unconscious on the floor of the Kawatche cave. Clark woke up first and looked around in confusion before standing up as the girls awakened.

"Why are we lying in the dirt?" Lois asked, her voice sounding dismayed and resigned all at once.

"And what the hell are we wearing?" Chloe added and waved her  
arms at their costumes.

"Everyone okay?" Clark asked, looking away from where the opening of the secret chamber had been. He couldn't understand how they had gotten out here to begin with, but he was thankful that he wouldn't have to explain it. Or at least, he assumed, by the confusion and blank expressions they were shooting each other as they tried to stand, that they didn't remember a thing.

"Clark, what happened?" Lana asked rubbing her head.

"Well, let's just say that you haven't been yourself lately," Clark said gently and moved over to stand by Lois.

Lana folded her arms over her chest, embarrassed by her clothing and Lois couldn't help but add, "Well the last thing I remember is Lana going all psycho, making potions in her decked-out witch laboratory and then making me drink wine after I got lost—took the long way—through the forest!"

Lana shot her a look of astonishment to see if the other woman was kidding her or not, and when she saw no hint of teasing, she sent both Chloe and Lois a look of apology.

"Lois," Clark tried to make his tone disapproving but when she looked up to meet his eyes with her familiar warmth, he was lost. He finally had her back with him, and if she thought she was getting away from him any time soon, she was sadly mistaken.

"Clark," she matched his tone but smiled back at him in understanding before pushing him in the direction of the exit and then turning her attention to Lana and Chloe.

"Come on ladies, I want to get out of this outfit and sleep for at least a day," she demanded and at their nods of agreement she could only laugh as Chloe and Lana practically raced out of the caves. Lois turned once before following, glancing at a symbol on the wall that she had become very fond of and could only long for the bracelet once again, wrapped warmly around her wrist.

It would come, in time.

* * *

Clark rolled off the couch and made his way through the doorway, to where his mom stood slicing fruit on the cutting board in the kitchen.

"Well, look who's finally awake."

"Mom. When did you guys get home?"

"This morning. Your dad is out there doing your chores."

"Sorry. I guess I overslept."

"I take it from you sleeping on the couch that Lois stayed over…" Martha trailed off with a small smile. Clark tried to hide a slight blush by moving toward the fridge to get out a pitcher of juice and pours a glass. "She was around for Chloe's party," he told her simply and was saved from commenting further when Jonathan entered.

"Hey, Dad."

"Hey, Clark. Son, is there maybe a little something you'd like to tell your mother and me?"

Jonathan held up a sexy red and black bra just as Lois decided to stumble her way down the stairs in her pajamas and bunny slippers while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Those said eyes bulged slightly when she took in the sight before her.

"Where did that come from?" Martha asked astounded and with a little in drawn breath. Whether it was to hold in a laugh or not, Lois couldn't tell.

"From out in the barn. In the hay," Jonathon answered dryly.

"Clark..." Martha breathed out, not knowing what else to say.

"Um," Lois began from her position on the stairs, causing everyone to turn in her direction. "That would be mine," she announced and took a stride over to whisk her lacy undergarment away from Mr. Kent. With all of the pride she could muster, Lois stiffened her spine and looked at the three gaping mouths.

"It wouldn't fit under my costume," she said honestly and marched right back up the stairs never once glancing back.

Let Clark try and explain that, she thought with a little laugh but eavesdropping at the top of the stairs. She quickly reassured herself that they hadn't gotten to the point where Clark would remove her bra—not that she was against it really, she thought with a smirk—but she had been thrown into another memory before they could get past kissing.

"It was magic," Clark said quickly and Lois could only agree, still lost in her reminiscing. Jonathon surprisingly let out a chuckle.

"I'm sure it was."

"No, I mean it really was. Look, I should not have thrown this party without talking to you guys. I know that. But it's the way things spun out of control. It was Lana. Well, it wasn't Lana exactly. She was possessed by a witch who then cast a spell on us, and... That's how that happened."

"Son, I realize that, after all, this is Smallville. But witches and spells and...Magic?"

"Dad, magic exists. I saw it. And worse, it can hurt me."

Jonathan and Martha shared a concerned glance at his serious tone and Lois could only agree. She had to go have another cryptic talk with her favorite Kryptonian woman, she mused dryly. She'd make her way over to the caves on her way back to Metropolis. After we give Chloe her present, she revised, noticing the horribly wrapped present in Clark's room. She thought for a moment to rewrap the darn thing but decided against it. Clark needed all of the practice he could get, and maybe admitting that he had a problem will get him to try harder…

* * *

"What are you guys being so pushy for?" Chloe exclaimed as both Lois and Clark pulled her into the room. She stopped arguing the moment she noticed the blue and red present on the desk. She forcefully snatched it up and Lois shot a look at Clark.

"Gee, I wonder who wrapped this present," Chloe wondered dryly and Lois pointed at Clark, not taking or wanting the credit.

"I have many skills…"

Don't I know it, Lois thought and then forced her mind away from that particular topic.

"…this just isn't one of them," Clark stated the obvious, causing both girls to chuckle.

"We would have given it to you at the party but then…well, I don't really know what comes after 'then'—I think it involved words like naked and dancing…

Pause.

Lois looks up at Clark in mock worry.

"You didn't happen to see any of that, did ya?"

"Well it's all kind of fuzzy."

"How fuzzy?" Chloe asked her voice laced with real embarrassment.

"I just recall a few birthmarks," Clark answered with a little shrug, and as Chloe groaned in disbelief, he met Lois's knowing smirk and eyes. They would have to talk later–that much was clear–but not in front of Chloe.

"Oh God! A girl waits her whole life to turn 18 and she can't even remember her own naked party!"

"Let's see," Lois started, as if putting the whole situation in a new light. "Witch hunts, memory loss, and a miraculous rescue by Clark 'the pervert' Kent—another typical day in Smallville," she finished, ignoring Clark as he gave her a little push.

"Hm. Okay, present time!" Chloe announced to change the subject finally, and she began to tear off the wrapping paper. As soon as she got the box open, Lois could detect the softening in her stance and the happiness in her breathing.

Ms. Chloe "you can never surprise me" Sullivan was just that.

Surprised.

"Oh my God, you guys…" she trailed off with a little sniff and looked up at them in wonder. Lois leaned slightly back against Clark, expressing her joy that they had made her cousin happy, and he could only lean back and smile.

"It's an Underwood, from 1899," Lois rattled off the information, proud of their find. They had spent a weekend in Metropolis trying to find the darn thing from the directions they had gotten on the internet.

"I know. It's the model that Nellie Blye used when she was writing in New York at the turn of the century."

"We figured two great reporters should own the same typewriter."

"Thank you," Chloe said sincerely and moved to embrace them both.

"I love it. God, thank you," she said again, overcome with happiness, and pulled them closer to give each a kiss on the cheek.

"You're welcome."

"This is the best birthday I can't remember," she stated comically and they laugh.

"Sorry I'm late," they heard from the doorway, and they all turned to see Bart Allen holding a single flower. "Apparently I missed a great party," he told them with a smirk and moved to stand in front of Chloe, barely giving Lois or Clark a second glance. "But I had to take care of a few things first."

"Bart?" Clark asked in confusion but also happy to see his friend again.

"Hey Amigo, I came to see if Chloe wanted to go to this restaurant I know—"

At Clark's look he quickly added more.

"—in Smallville of course." Bart waggled his eyebrows slightly at Chloe and she sent a look over to Lois. Lois could only shrug innocently in reply, but to her credit she didn't laugh until Bart had completely dragged Chloe out of the room and off to dinner.

"Did you have something to do with that?" Clark asked suspiciously and Lois raised a brow before patting his chest.

"Yup."

"Oh."

"I thought she could use a little adventure. He'll do her good—don't worry Smallville."

He looked reassured and captured her hands in his. She didn't think it was necessary to add that Bart Allen would play a big part in Chloe's life. He'll figure it out sooner or later. She just had a little more information at the moment to help them along.

"Lois—I had this weird dream," Clark started after a moment, and she looked up at him with interest.

"Oh yeah?" She asked with a wicked grin, causing him to blush.

"Lois!"

"Clark!" She mimicked his tone and he let out a laugh before lifting  
her chin to meet her eyes.

"What was it about then, Smallville?"

She could see the battle within his eyes. She saw that he wasn't sure whether or not it would be a good idea to tell her, and most importantly, she saw his fear that she would run if he did.

Why?

She would never! Ok, well she had once before, but knowing what she knew now… she would never run from him! She was with him for good—whether he was prepared for that or not.

"Tell me Clark," she whispered reassuringly, and when he still looked at her with uncertainty, she wrapped her arms about his neck in a tight embrace.

"We were kissing—I couldn't help myself," he rushed to explain and she chuckled into his shoulder. "And then the next thing I knew—you were cooking—everything!"

The laughter died in her throat as she remembered the memory, the day she had found out for sure that she was pregnant with their first child.

Liam.

She felt her eyes fill with tears but was determined not to let him see, and so she buried her face even further into his shoulder.

"I would never do that!" She said quickly to keep the conversation going and he laughed in reply before continuing in bewilderment.

"But you did! And it was so real Lois. You also threw a donut at me! I spent the entire day looking for you, rescued a kitten, and then finally found you…at…home."

Silence.

"We were happy," he whispered so softly that she had to strain her ears to hear him, even in their intimate embrace.

"Are," she reiterated just as softly and he tightened his hold on her.

"For the first time in my life—I pictured a future in which I wasn't alone. I don't want to scare you away," he admitted and she squeezed back in response.

"I love my future," Lois answered cryptically and refused to allow him to pull away in order to look at her. She had a feeling that if he did, he'd see just how true that statement was, that he'd see right through her and into her heart. More importantly, she couldn't help but think, and wonder at such thoughts, that he was remembering.

But how could that be?

* * *

Review!! 


	9. Scare

Well, I hope you like this part--I think it's pretty amusing (I know I'm laaame laughing at my own stuff but oh well).

Thanks Liz! woot!

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**Chapter 8: Scare...sort of**

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"What I would give to be able to read at super speed," Lois muttered while glowering darkly at her biology book. There was absolutely no point in reading this material; she wouldn't ever need any of this nonsense (if science could be labeled as such) in the future and didn't know anyone who did—besides biologists of course.

"I'd even give up a Klondike bar," she joked to herself with a little laugh and flipped to the next page starting the next chapter on mitosis... or something like that.

"Clark really needs to start taking advantage of that skill so I can take advantage of him," She mused aloud and thought of other skills she could get Clark to use before focusing, or trying to at least, back on her biology.

"Now that I think of it, I haven't seen the guy speed read any of his books!" Lois exclaimed a little too loudly to herself, turning a few heads in the cafeteria. She wasn't embarrassed in the slightest and even sent a fierce glare in the direction of some gaping girl. So she talked to herself sometimes, what's the big deal anyway? She could care less what anyone thought of her; she gets to marry a super man and have super sex…

"Hello gorgeous, my name's Stan but you can call me yours," a deep voice, one that was certainly not welcome at her table, interrupted her very interesting train of thought as he stood opposite of her seat.

Lois just merely gazed up in disbelief at the over-muscled, cocky jock. _Did that line ever work?_

"You've got to be kidding me," Lois finally managed to say, her tone laced with disdain which he failed to catch.

"No joke babe, I'm all yours!"

"No thanks," Lois stated dryly and began to think that maybe biology wasn't so bad.

"What do you mean?"

_How thick can you get?_

"I mean I'm not interested and I never will be," she stated bluntly in return and shot him a look.

"How could you not be interested in me?"

She really tried to stop the laugh bubbling up inside of her, really she did, but this guy was just so impossibly hilarious that she lost the fight.

"You want a list?"

"A list?" he asked in angry bewilderment, as he clenched his box of milk a little too tightly, spilling the contents all over him.

"Of all the reasons I could really care less about ever seeing you again," Lois explained brightly, having a little too much fun. "Now, besides the fact that you're not even housebroken," she began, eyeing the milk on his pants and shirt, "and completely stupid, arrogant, and cocky, traits that, might I add, most women find completely unattractive, there's the fact that I already have someone better in my life and I plan on never letting him go."

As she finished her little spiel, she was surprised to hear applause and looked around the cafeteria to see pretty much all of the girls and some of the guys cheering in agreement as well as amusement. She felt a little bad about knocking the jock down a peg, but that sympathy flew right out the window as he laughed a little and tried to sit at her table with an arrogant grin.

She simply kicked the chair away and watched him fall.

He fell pretty hard.

And ran out the door pretty quickly.

_All in a days work_, Lois thought with a shrug and went back to her homework.

Apparently though, she wouldn't find anymore quiet time after that, as a mob of four girls with bright smiles approached her table. They sat as one in the chairs of one side of the lunch table and continued to stare at her. She waited for them to say something—anything—but after a few moments of silence Lois shifted uncomfortably in her chair and snapped.

"What?"

"That was amazing!"

"Stan is such a jerk!"

"And you stood up to him!"

"Yeah!" The last girl, stereotypically blonde (but Lois noted the darker roots suspiciously) finished dumbly in agreement.

"Ok," Lois nodded trying to follow as they continued to speak all at once, in one long sentence but lost the conversation completely when Blondie asked about Clark.

"What?" Lois cut in, staring the girl down. She was sure she had heard the name Clark somewhere in that mix of their twittering.

"How's Clark doing?"

"How do you know Clark?" came her dark retort, and Lois contemplated knocking her around some if she couldn't answer the question to her satisfaction.

"He's gorgeous!" The blonde said stupidly, but her red headed friend decided to cut in and save her after noticing Lois's fierce look.

"You guys are so cute together!"

"And the way he looks at you…" another girl added, trailing off with a romantic sigh. Lois looked at them in astonishment, not really knowing if these girls were for real.

"Yeah, he's a hunk," Lois added when they waited expectantly for her to say something in return. "But how do you even know him?" she asked suspiciously, because even though she wasn't in Smallville, freaks and insane people tended to follow her around.

"Oh, we see him with you all the time!"

"He's not with me ALL of the time," Lois muttered and pointed out the empty seat he usually sits in and shifted slightly, unnerved that people actually notice those kinds of things.

"Just most of the time."

"Plus we live right across from you," Red clarified, and the others nodded in response.

_Great._

"All of you?" Lois asked, not even bothering to hide her dismay.

"Of course not silly, but we live next door to them and you live across from us," said the confusing blonde. Lois tried to decipher the statement, concluding that the only thing that mattered was that they lived within walking distance from her... and they could knock on her door at any time of day.

_Wonderful._

"He's ok then?" the smartest looking of the bunch asked and  
earned a frown from Lois.

"Why wouldn't he be?"

"Besides him not being at your side like usual? We were researching—"

_Oh, really?_

"—you see we all want to be weather girls—"

_Good luck with that..._

"—and we came across this thick cloud of something over Smallville while studying the maps."

"I'm not following. You saw a rain cloud? Smallville doesn't melt, you know."

"What city does melt?" the blonde asked, eagerly intrigued. Lois rolled her eyes and ignored her completely, waiting for the smart(est) of the bunch to answer. She obviously understood that Lois was referring to Clark, never mind the fact that they all seemed to know way too many details of her life…

"Not a rain cloud! It's producing some sort of chemical or something."

"What?"

"Yeah, and there's been a news report stating that many people were hospitalized in Smallville—we linked the two all by ourselves!"

_You did that, did you?_ Lois couldn't help but add dryly in her head.

"How did you guys even see this cloud thingy?"

"We have very scientific equipment—Meggie's dad is a famous actor turned geologist—

_I don't even want to know... which one is Meggie, again?_

"—so we were worried about you and Clark—"

Clark.  
_  
He's invulnerable_, Lois, she rememebered, trying to calm her worried mind. _Nothing can hurt him physically unless it's laced with kryptonite... and really, what are the chances of this cloud of toxins being laced with kryptonite…_

"I've got to go!" Lois exclaimed, slamming her biology book closed and standing up to leave. The girls stood with her and followed her out of the cafeteria as she looked for her phone in her bag. Not realizing that she began to pile most of her things into Blondie's arms, Lois finally managed to find her phone.

"Ah HA!"

After pressing speed dial one, she waited impatiently... only to get his voicemail.

"Honestly Smallville, what's the point of having a cell phone if you don't answer it?! Call me back when you get this," she said while trying to keep the worry out of her tone. It wasn't until she slammed the phone shut and glanced up did she realize that the girls were standing outside with her and that Blondie was holding all of her stuff.

"Uh... thanks," Lois quickly said and shoved all of her things back into her bag. _Their staring is really getting annoying..._

"You can go now," she said after a moment.

"Oh... but we wanted to hang out with you!"

_Hang out?_

"I'm actually not looking for a posse, but if I ever need one I'll let you guys know," she returned with a smirk and watched bemusedly as their faces fell.

"But—"

_Oh God, Blondie's about to cry…_

"I've actually got biology that I need to study for so I'll see you  
later!"

"We have Biology too!"

"Great."

"We could help you if you need—"

"I think I've got it covered."

"But—"

"Honestly! I haven't known you for more than five minutes and you're attached to my hip. I don't deal well with that," Lois exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. They were lost puppies, the lot of them.

Her phone began to ring, interrupting any argument the girls would have made. She answered with a raised hand to halt the excited twittering, signaling that it was Clark on the other line. _They're like a fan club or something…  
_  
"Smallville," Lois breathed out in relief when she heard his voice on the other line. "Are you okay?" she asked urgently. The girls took two steps as one to listen in eagerly, and Lois turned her back to them, not wanting to have to look at them anymore.

"What do I mean? I heard about that toxic cloud thing that hospitalized all of Smallville and killed half!" she exaggerated in a tone that demanded explanation.

"Actually... there was only one fatality," Blondie reassured happily. The look she shot the girls shut them up entirely, even if they weren't planning on saying anything else in the near future.

"Oh, that was just my posse," Lois explained to Clark nonchalantly. "Now are you going to tell me what happened?

Pause.

"What do you mean it happened two weeks ago?! I saw you just this weekend and you never mentioned anything to me!" Lois spat out, exuding anger and, if she was honest with herself, a hint of hurt.

"I think she's mad at him," Blondie whispered dumbly to the group. It was meant to be a whisper, but Lois's glare in their direction only served to frighten them a step away.

"I guess I'll just have to investigate on my own," Lois declared haughtily and snapped her phone shut before Clark could respond. She smirked slightly at the thought of him running to Met-U as fast as he could in a panic before remembering that she "didn't know" he could do that. He'd have to walk around aimlessly, and he'd probably try to call again too—

"You're phone's ringing again," Slightly-Smart (as she had dubbed the second brunette) told her, holding out the blaring, vibrating phone. Lois stared at her in bewilderment and snatched the phone out of her hand. _Slightly-Smart just lost her title and turned into Slightly-Stupid. Of course it's ringing! And it's probably Clark._

Lois looked and the Caller ID screen on the front of her phone and read: Cinnamon Buns

_Yup. She called that one._

_And his buns certainly are tasty,_ she thought with a smirk and looked around slyly, ignoring the ringing._ Maybe he was in close enough range already to see her...  
_  
"Ms. Lane," Blondie started timidly, earning an elbow from Red, and quickly shut her mouth.

"Here, you can talk to him," Lois offered sweetly and held out the phone to the blonde. The other girls shook their heads, trying to convey none too subtly that it probably wasn't the wisest decision to take the phone, but the young woman pounced at it excitedly.

"Hello?" she asked, and Lois couldn't help but be amazed that she talked into the right end.

"Hi Clark—it's Blondie. I'm part of Lois's posse."

_Is that her real name?_

"Is that her real name?" Lois asked, unable to hide her astonishment. The other girls drew their attention away from their friend for a mere second to shake their heads no and didn't bother to supply the poor girl's real name.

_Blondie._

_Red._

_Slightly Stupid…no, that was too good of a band…maybe she's the one called Meggie…  
_  
"Yeah, Lois is right here next to me!" her secretary exclaimed in amazement. "How'd you know?"  
_  
It's MY phone, after all._

"Yeah, you're right it is her phone."

They all turned to Lois as she let out a chuckle, but Lois just shrugged in response and motioned for Blondie to continue talking to Clark.

"Sure you can! Hold on, 'kay?"

Pause.

"Okay? Are you holding on?"

Pause.

"Oh, right. I'll ask her right now—"

"I don't want to talk to him," Lois cut in before she could ask.

Blondie pouted.

"No, Clark, she said she doesn't want to talk to you," she informed him. She then waited a second, listening in, before hanging up.

"Well?" Lois asked curiously.

"He said fine."

Now the word fine is short, only four letters really, and takes less than a second to say. Blondie had been listening for more than a second…

The phone rings and before Lois could think to answer it her 'secretary' does so for her with a bright smile.

"Hi, Lois's phone. How may I help you?"

Lois looked at the other girls dubiously.

"She spent the summer answering the phone in an office," Red explained with a shrug.

"It's for you—it's Chloe, she says she's your cousin," Blondie assures but is obviously skeptic.

"Hey Chlo," Lois says after snatching the phone away. There is a slight pause and then a little scuffle before a deeper voice answers her back.

"Leave Chloe alone, Clark!" Lois chided and let out a little laugh as she pictured them tugging at the phone.

"Clark, I was really worried," she said after a moment. "Will you at least tell me about it when you come around or do I have to look into it myself?"

"We'll help!" Red announced and did a little dance.

Lois paused and turned to gape at the young woman. _Did she just seriously…_

"We'll talk later buster!" Lois said firmly in a tone that no one dared argue with and closed her phone again. He was back in Smallville but she should probably expect him to show up in a couple of hours.  
But she had some investigating to do before class.

"Come on posse, show me this equipment you have," she asserted to her fan club.

"Yay!"

_Oh, brother..._

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Let me know you're around! Reviews are amazing!! 


	10. Unsafe

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm really sorry this took me so long to update but I took time off to write another (completed) shorter story. I will post that one soon and I suggest you guys all check it out. It's entitled Operation: Pain in My Side. Now that it's finished I have time for this again so expect more updates **

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**Chapter 9: Unsafe**

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**  
**

Lois slyly watched Clark out of the corner of her eye and couldn't stop a smirk from forming on her lips. Sitting at their usual table at the Talon, he looked completely frustrated, but homework could do that to practically anyone. He growled a little and crossed out a few lines, and Lois let out a little laugh. Baffled, he finally looked up at her, and she only raised a brow in response.

"What?" He asked curiously, tilting his head to the side to study her.

"Nothing."

"No, you were laughing at me."

"Yes, I was," Lois agreed and focused her attention back on the book she had been pretending to read for the last half hour.

"Lois," he whined, drawling out her name into at least 4 extra syllables. She glanced over at him; he hadn't started to do that to her name until at least a month into their partnership at the Daily Planet.

"Clark," she mimicked him and watched happily as his eyes narrowed at her. She smiled wickedly and patted his cheek before finally giving in. "You were growling at your homework."

"Doesn't everyone?"

"I wouldn't know… I only talk to myself."

"—just when you're doing your homework?" He asked, his eyes shining with merriment.

"No, all the time," she bantered back. "Do you need some help with that?" She asked, motioning towards the messy paper.

"I'm almost done, but I still have math to work on--you're not a math genius, are you?" He teased narrowing his eyes in contemplation.

"Yes I am, actually," she stated, raising her chin slightly. "But, I think I'm going to go keep your mom company by getting some coffee and not lending you any of my expertise."

She stood and shot him a smile that he easily matched with one of his own. He grabbed her hand tightly before she had a chance to flee. "In all seriousness Lois, would you mind looking over my paper when I'm finished with it?"

"You want me to?"

"Why wouldn't I? I've read your writing Lois—bad spelling aside, you're an amazing writer."

"Stupid spelling," she muttered in response and dropped her head to hide the slight blush.

"I can e-mail it to you… take a look at it when you've got time."

"I'd love to, Smallville," Lois said shortly. "I'm going to go get my coffee now; I've got a long drive ahead of me. Do you want anything?"

"No thanks," he said with a little smirk before going back to his paper.

Lois laughed quietly at his change of focus and went over to where Martha was standing behind the counter.

"Hey, Lois… you want the usual?"

"Yeah, thanks Mrs. Kent… and throw in a muffin too," Lois pointed with a smile and took a seat at the counter. The muffin was for Clark, he hadn't asked for it but she knew he would eat it.

"You got it," Martha answered, smiling slightly. "So when do you have to start heading back?"

_I wouldn't have to drive, or leave nearly as soon, if your son would just tell me he's an alien already,_ Lois thought with a little frown.

"Lois?" Martha inquired with concern, placing the coffee next to the younger woman.

"Oh, I've actually got to be going right now."

"That's a shame—it looks like Clark is being invited to a party and I'm sure he'd love to take you."

_What? _

"What?" Lois said aloud with confusion. She followed Martha's look over her shoulder to where Clark was seated. He was leaning as far away as he could from two random girls, a brunette and blonde. She would have laughed aloud at his uneasiness if said brunette didn't drop her hand onto Clark's shoulder. Lois's eyes narrowed as she took in the scene. Clark plucked the girl's hand off of him and pushed it away with a hesitant smile and a nervous look around the room. Deciding it was time to take pity on the guy, Lois swiped up the muffin and coffee and sauntered over towards them.

"Her parents have a hot tub," she overheard one of the girls say as she finally reached the table.

"Really?" Clark said politely, catching Lois walking back towards him. She couldn't be sure, but she was pretty certain he let out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah."

The girls both smiled at each other and then at Clark, nodding, but frowned as Lois plopped back down into her spot next to Clark.

"Um, thanks, but I've still got a lot of work to do here," Clark explained. Lois let out a little chuckle as he sidled even closer to her.

The girls' smiles faded. "Okay. Well, why don't you drop by later if you finish? You can bring Lois," they quickly added with a pout. Lois smiled sweetly in return and Clark only nodded.

"See ya."

"Bye, Clark."

The girls stood up and walked away, leaving Clark a little baffled and obviously flustered.

Lois laughed. "Smallville, you've really got to learn how to deal with women," she announced gaily as she began shoving her papers into her pack.

"I only want to deal with you," he answers cheekily. Lois couldn't help but gape slightly. _Where has his shyness gone now? _

"Yeah well, first you have to keep up with me."

"I can run really fast."

"I bet," she bantered back, barely containing a scoff at his comment. The truth of the matter was that if he was this comfortable with joking about his abilities – even if he didn't know that she knew – then that could be a really good sign.

_Right? _

"Right," she muttered under her breath and looked away from his bright eyes. She was tired of driving from Metropolis when he could just sweep her up into his arms and…

"What?" He asked with a little smile, noticing her talking to herself.

"What?"

"You said 'right'," he helpfully supplied when she tried to play dumb. She glared slightly back at him.

"I was talking to myself."

Clark waited for her to explain her comment, but after a moment it was clear that she was not going to do so.

"Do you really have to go so soon?" he asked with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. She knew how he felt; it wasn't all that nice of a feeling to need someone so much. It ate at your gut and made you say stupid things that you would never normally say.

"I have to meet with my sociology group."

"But it's the weekend."

On the other hand, it felt awfully nice to feel so wanted.

"I know—stupid 'my name's Carol but I like to be called Fran' couldn't do it any other day. Apparently she has a play she's rehearsing for."

"Fran?"

"I have no idea, Clark," Lois answered truthfully with a little laugh. She knocked her shoulder into his as he joined in her laughter. "But you could always run to Met-U—you being able to run really fast and all," she teased, keeping her voice light but waiting nervously on the inside for his reaction.

"I just might," he said with a soft smile, pulling her up for a quick kiss on her lips before she had a chance to protest. She looked at him pensively for a moment before spontaneously throwing her arms around his neck in a tight embrace and, in the next second, moved towards the exit like a whirl wind.

"Lois, you forgot your muffin!" he called out from the spot he was glued to. She opened the door and turned back to him.

"I got it for you. Bye Martha!"

And then she was gone.

Martha's arm was still raised in farewell as Clark walked back to where she stood behind the counter. He took a seat in front of his mother and picked at the muffin.

It was banana nut: his favorite.

"She's great—isn't she?" he said after a little while.

Martha nodded in agreement. "She sure is one of a kind."

"Like me," he said softly and so hesitantly that Martha lowered her hand onto his and gave it a tender squeeze.

"Like you."

"A girl would have to be crazy to be in a relationship with me."

Martha looked at Clark fondly and then turned to stare at the door Lois had just left through. "I'd say Lois is just crazy enough to handle you."

Clark looked up quickly into his mother's smiling eyes and couldn't fight a grin from emerging. "She does enjoy a challenge."

Lois had decided to drop in for a visit to the caves before heading back to school in hopes that she would get some answers from Lara. It was quite possibly wishful thinking, but it couldn't hurt to try. As she approached the opening, her phone began to ring. Looking at the caller ID screen, Lois saw Chloe's name flashing urgently.

"What do you want Chlo?" She asked and stopped just short of touching the soulmate symbol that always lit up and opened the wall when she was near.

"Alicia's in town."

"Alicia as in 'I want to marry Clark and almost did and tried to kill Lana but not this time and then got murdered'—that Alicia?"

"You had me up until the part…no; actually you lost me with everything before and after 'tried to kill Lana.'"

"That's because the other stuff hasn't happened yet, Cuz, and I don't think I was supposed to tell you all that," Lois responded with a sigh and rubbed at her forehead.

"Probably not but you did anyway. I don't really like the girl, but murdered?"

"Not for a while yet; I guess I'll have to save her while I'm trying to save the world. Do you think, until then, you could try to keep her away from Clark?"

"I could try, but they're talking right now."

"Where?"

"By the barn?"

"Well what's going on?"

"I don't have super hearing, Lois, but Clark looks pretty uncomfortable."

"Good."

"Oh crap!"

"What?" Lois asked curiously as her cousin continued to mutter.

"I don't know how, but I think Clark saw me spying."

_Well, it was most likely his hearing,_ Lois thought and listened in as Chloe tried to find a better hiding spot, grumbling the whole time about it.

"Chlo?"

"Well, the good news is Alicia's leaving and she looks upset. The bad news is that Clark is heading towards me with a grumpy look on his face, so I've got to go! I'll call you back!" Chloe answered quickly, and before Lois had a chance to say anything in return, she heard a click and the line went dead.

Lois shook her head slightly at her cousin's antics and allowed her fingers to gently trace over the symbol, finally opening the passageway she needed.

* * *

"Hey, Mamacita!" Lois exclaimed with a roll of her eyes as she walked into the opening of the cave wall. 

"Hello, Lois."

_Did she detect a bit of resignation in the dead woman's voice?_

"So… I've got a bone to pick with you!"

"I am unsure as to what you are trying to say."

"I want to ask you a few questions."

Silence.

"Oh, well then I hope I have the answers you seek."

"Yeah, right," Lois muttered under her breath, not believing the programmed woman for a second.

"What was that, my child?"

"I'm sure you'll be right," Lois said instead, unsure as to whether or not dead people held grudges.

"You may ask your questions but I can only hope to begin to answer all of them."

_Sarcasm? _

"Why the heck didn't Clark's hair work in Lana's virgin love potion?"

Silence.

"And I can tell by the eerie quiet of the cave that this is going to be just as difficult as the last conversation we had."

"Virgin love potion?"

"You heard me right sister—virgin love potion. And she tried to snag a lock of your son's hair but it didn't work."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so my question is why, and don't give me that bologna that it must be because he's not a virgin—because he is! Or was at least!"

"So you two have consummated…"

"No! Papa Kent would kill me if I tried seducing his little boy," Lois grumbled and shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. She bit her lip a little in contemplation before looking up hopefully. "Or wouldn't he?"

"Virgin love potion?" the woman asked instead, and Lois blew the bangs out of her face in frustration.

"Yes, that's what I said. The potion actually turned me and Chlo into possessed witches but that's another story. We've discussed it, and now let's move on with the conversation."

_Honestly, the woman needs to let it go. _

"So do you think I'd get in trouble if I seduce Clark?"

"I am unsure."

"Gah!" Lois exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. If she needed the woman to be sure about anything right now, it was that. She was going crazy waiting with only her memories to remember fondly.

She wanted Clark.

And his abs.

His arms would also play a part she was sure.

_Not to mention how good it would feel to just…_

"Lois!" Lara called out, her voice sounding exasperated, making Lois wonder just how much of this woman was really in this cave and how it all worked.

"Yeah, all right!" she said in return, trying to clear her mind of a certain farm boy. She would just have to satisfy herself with his kisses.

Silence once again.

Obviously Lara wasn't going to help move the conversation forward.

"So any ideas about the hair?"

"I have none."

"Can't you have at least one?"

If holograms and mystical light sources could glare, Lois was pretty sure she'd be on the receiving end of a fierce one right about now.

"Well what about dreams?" Lois remembered suddenly and wanted to kick herself for not asking about it sooner. She had instead let her mind wander and obsess about Clark being a virgin.

"What dreams?"

"I'm pretty sure Clark had a dream, or rather a vision, of our future. I mean the future I remember. I think we both were thrown into the same vision when I was possessed. It was the day I found out I was pregnant for the first time. I went on this cooking spree…"

"You didn't!"

"Um, yeah, I did and I'm not sure I appreciate your tone of disgust. I can cook!"

"My son informs me otherwise."

"You talk to Clark?"

"Not now, but in the future."

"Right. Well, I believe that Clark is starting to remember things…but how is that even possible? You said that you had the power to only send me back, or were you wrong?"

"Yes, I did only have the influence to send you back but perhaps my son is so emotionally connected with you that–"

"That what? That he came back as well?"

"Perhaps."

"What is this 'perhaps' crap? I think I have the right to a straight-forward answer for once! I don't like being toyed with."

"I wish I had an answer for you, but I am just as lost."

"Great."

"I can tell you to be wary of Luthor."

"And that's one thing you don't have to tell me," Lois couldn't keep the contempt out of her voice or stop her eyes from narrowing. No, she would be wary of all Luthors, not just the son. For, if she was right, it was Lionel's fault that Lex strayed so far from the good path, a path that Clark had told her time and time again that he had tried to stay on.

"Does Lex have a chance?" Lois finally asked, trying to hide her disdain. Just because her husband had seen the good in him didn't mean she agreed.

"Yes."

_The most straight forward answer the woman ever gives me and it's not the one I particularly care for,_ Lois thought with a grimace and began her trek out of the caves. Not that it wasn't just dandy that she or Clark wouldn't have to worry about Lex Luthor, nemesis, in the future but that she had to find a way to kill Lionel Luthor!

….Or at least find a way to keep Lex away from his own father.

Death was an option, but she wasn't about to just murder someone, no matter how much they bugged her. Jail was a suitable option for him of course, but even in there the man had pull…

Her phone chose the perfect time to interrupt her thought process and she couldn't keep the irritation out of her voice as she put her posse on speaker phone and got into her car for the long drive back to Metropolis.

* * *

"Do we really need to hide behind these bushes?" 

"Yeah, seriously… I totally think I'm allergic to leaves."

"And I can't see anything!"

"We're spying--that means he's not supposed to know we're here."

"But he doesn't even know what we look like! Clark's never even met us before!" Blondie interjected, itching her arm fiercely again.

The other three girls turned to stare at her.

"What?"

"You're actually right," Red replied with a narrowed look. "When are you ever right?"

It was obvious that Blondie wanted to say something in defense, she just couldn't figure out which part of the comment had been offensive.

"...So we can move?" She said instead, and at Red's nod, she stepped away from the bush.

"Why would Clark go ice skating with that tramp anyway?"

"She needs a 'friend' apparently."

"Well she needs to find herself a different one," Red commented with a glare in Alicia's direction.

"Lois said that she trusted Clark but I don't trust that girl anymore than I could stow her," Blondie grumbled. She lifted her binoculars up and three pairs of eyes went wide.

"Hey! He's going to notice those!"

"And it's 'throw'--as far as you can _throw_ her."

"I wouldn't be able to even pick her up!"

"That's the point of the saying… and put the binoculars away."

"But I won't be able to see as well--oh! She leaned in!"

"What do you mean she leaned in?!" The girls exclaimed in unison and turned in the pair's direction, just in time to see Clark fall away onto the hard ice.

"What happened?"

"She leaned in to kiss him and Clark moved away too quickly and fell!"

"Yay for Clark!"

"I can't wait to tell Lois!"

"We should probably follow this girl around some more, though… just in case."

"They're talking—I really wish I could hear them," Blondie muttered and grumbled some more while the other girls just watched Clark shake his head no and skate awkwardly away.

"I bet he told the girl he loved Lois," Red hypothesized and started to walk in the direction Alicia was headed.

"No way, remember how bent out of shape Lois got when we called him her boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Blondie agreed and shivered slightly in remembrance. Lois had been in a bad mood that day. "They aren't official yet—I guess."

"Wait! Who the heck is that guy? Kinda creepy the way he just snuck up behind her."

"I have no idea but if you be quiet for a minute we'll be able to hear what they're saying!"

"Sorry." All three girls turned their ears out just as the man made Alicia aware of his presence.

"Enjoying your freedom?"

"Oh, Dr. McBride. What are you doing here?"

"Checking up on my favorite patient," he replies and takes her hand quickly in his to trace his fingers over her bracelet. "This does more than just keep you in place, Alicia."

"You lojacked me?"

"I have to know where you are so that you don't do anything to jeopardize your release. Like associating with Clark Kent..."

"What's wrong with associating with Clark?" Blondie fiercely whispered in Clark's defense and was elbowed in three places.

"What I do with Clark is my own business and anyway he's not interested. He's got Lois Lane," Alicia said, unable to hide the bitterness in her tone.

"Clark was the object of your obsession, Alicia. Your feelings for him are what precipitated your psychotic break. You really want to risk an incident like that again?"

"But you said that I was better."

"And I want you to stay that way. Perhaps more sessions together outside of the office would be beneficial. You are such a bright, beautiful young girl."

"This guy is giving me the creeps," Red muttered watching the scene unfold.

"I think I just threw up a little in my mouth," Blondie joked back, nodding in agreement.

McBride touched Alicia's face and she pulled away slightly, but he gently held onto her hair.

"It'd be a shame to see you end up back in Belle Reve. Stop seeing Clark Kent before someone gets hurt."

He walked away, leaving Alicia looking heartbroken. The girls almost felt sorry before they remembered their mission: spy on her.

"Where is she going now?"

"Beats me, but let's hurry to the car and follow her!"

It didn't take them long, surprisingly, to figure out that she had led them to a high school—they just couldn't figure out why.

"It's not a school day," Blondie pointed out as they walked as a group through the dark hallway of the school. As they turned the corner and ran into a solitary figure, they couldn't help but be disappointed that their cover was blown—they were caught! And they had been doing so well!

"Who are you?" Red said accusingly to the blonde that wasn't Alicia.

"What are you doing here?" She shot back just as irritated.

"We're following Alicia because she needs to keep her grubby paws off of Clark!"

"Oh. Well, my name's Chloe. You wouldn't happen to be Lois's posse would you?"

"That's us!"

"Right. Well… what are you doing in Smallville? Did Lois tell you to follow Alicia around?"

"No."

"Are you kidding? She would never ask us to spy!"

_Obviously they don't know Lois Lane as well as they think, _Chloe thought with a smirk.

"Well I'm actually spying on Alicia as well, and I think she went into the Torch." When the girls only responded with blank looks, she pointed to the room she was talking about and they all head in that direction.

"She'll see us—we gotta get to the outside window!" Chloe ordered firmly, leading the way. They peeked in the window just in time to see Alicia open a drawer next to the wall and pull out a circular pink box. She opened the box and pulled out a Smallville High class ring.

"What is this girl crazy or something?"

"Sort of, yes," Chloe answered honestly, biting her lip in contemplation. _What would Alicia want with a class ring? _

They watched as she set the ring down on the desk before grabbing a decorative glass ball near the computer and slamming it down onto the ring, crushing the metal and popping the gem out of its place. She then carefully held up the red stone to the light for inspection.

"I don't get it—is she a jewel thief or something?"

"That won't get her very much money, that's for sure. I should know… my mom's a jeweler!"

Chloe gaped at the posse behind her. _Are they for real? _She thought Lois had been exaggerating…

"Something else is going on here," Chloe said aloud, focusing her attention back into the room.

_…But what?  
_

* * *

Lois glanced over at the silent phone that lay by her closet door. She had thrown it across the room after checking the battery for the fifth time. It had lain quiet ever since. No matter how long she glared at it or willed it to ring it did not. She sighed disgustedly and tried to focus her attention on her art project. Her cardstock paper was beginning to resemble something "artsy" but she still wasn't convinced that art was for her. She just didn't have enough patience with cardstock and glue sticks and scissors… 

"Chloe knows better than to keep me hanging like this," Lois muttered, viciously cutting out a yellow and throwing it onto the larger red one before cutting into the red paper again with vigor. She blew her bangs out of her face fiercely to get another look at her phone.

"Ring!" she ordered.

Obviously she didn't have the power of telekinesis.

"Fine, don't call," Lois continued talking to herself, placing the 'S' like shape slightly on the triangles.

It's not that she was worried.

"Of course I'm not!"

Or that she didn't trust Clark.

"Of course I do."

She knew he wouldn't do anything stupid. But Alicia, Alicia was a different matter entirely. She didn't trust the girl at all, especially if she was alone with Clark. And that pissed her off because she was jealous and she shouldn't be.

It's not that she cared that they went ice skating last night. Clark is a horrible skater and who wants to deal with that?

He had given her a call and only agreed to go with the girl because he's a worrier. He sounded so timid and hesitant when he asked Lois if she minded... she was greatly amused.

She just wouldn't put it past the girl to still try and trick Clark into marrying her. She also knew that Clark felt connection to her, one that they could never share, because of her powers.

"I just want him to be happy," she finally admitted to herself that that was in essence the real reason why she was worried. What if he could be happier with Alicia? At that thought she stared down at her art project and let out a little laugh.

Superman.

She had unknowingly pasted together the Superman symbol as one of her "flags" for art 101.

"At least I didn't stick it on a muscle clad sexy chest, now that would have been telling," she mused with a smirk and, for a second, wished she had the ability to draw said chest. A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts of the hunky hero of her dreams.

"Damn it!" she cursed swiftly. She realized that she hadn't placed a towel at the foot of her door to keep her light from shining underneath, fooling outside lurkers into thinking she wasn't home.

If it was the posse, she'd kill them.

But who else could it be?

Hoping they would get the hint (which they never did) she just ignored the knock. She should have predicted the third and after the fourth she stood swiftly with her chin stubbornly set and prepared to send them on their way, no matter how much they whined. Lois Lane is not afraid of four girls!

"What?!" She bit out after stomping to her door and throwing it wide open. "Smallville!"

If her voice sounded shocked, it was because she was stunned. She had been expecting four annoying girls that didn't understand the concept of space and instead it was Clark.

And not just Clark, but Clark in a messy rumpled blue shirt and adorable sleep tousled hair.

"Hi," she tried again and cringed at herself inwardly when she couldn't hide the little squeak in her voice.

"Lois," he breathed out her name finally and took in air as if he had been holding that in for days. She knew that he could hold his breath for long periods of time but she was quite certain he couldn't do it for days. She took a step back away from him and swore when she stepped slightly on her scissors that lay on the floor.

"What's going on?" She tried to keep her tone cool and composed as she checked her foot for injury, but she faltered when he stepped inside her doorway and smiled at her. When he shut the door behind him with a firm slam, she widened her eyes and stumbled backwards again. He caught her just before she fell, and before she could force a couple more words out of her mouth, he crushed his lips down onto hers.

For the first time in months, her mind went completely blank for a few stunning moments. She matched his kiss with her own and her hands immediately found themselves tugging at his messy hair. He groaned happily into her mouth, and she couldn't help but smile back into his before he pulled her even more firmly against him and she got lost in his embrace.

Lois couldn't honestly claim that she had forgotten what it was like to feel so much passion in his kisses. She couldn't have forgotten even if she had wanted to because they haunted her dreams at night. It had been too long since she had tasted this urgency, too long since her body fit so close to his.

"Too long," she affirmed aloud without thinking and when he pulled away slightly her lips followed his to begin again.

"Nothing," Lois said unnecessarily and moved her hands to the hem of his shirt giving it a firm tug. She tried to pull it off, completely breaking the kiss, but his big head got in the way. She tugged harder with a little growl she didn't recognize as coming from her own throat and Clark chuckled through the cotton before taking over and pulling it off. She had begun to attack his revealed chest with her open mouth when he swept her up into his arms and set her gently on the bed. She barely realized her back hit the bed until his body moved to cover hers and she placed a gentle hand over his frantic heartbeat.

"Hey," she said, trying to calm her breathing.

"Hi," his husky voice returned her greeting.

She almost missed it... she wouldn't have even caught it if she hadn't have been staring into his eyes at the exact moment so intently. The flash of red, so fleeting she almost dismissed it.

"Clark."

"What?"

She leaned away just as he made a move to kiss her again and make her even more oblivious.

"Wait."

A red flash in his eyes... she was sure of it.

"Damn it!"

"What?"

"Damn it Clark!" he exclaimed and cursed some more under her breath before giving him a firm shove. To her surprise, he rolled over and off of her easily enough, letting her stumble out of the bed. When he made a move to follow her, she shot him a fierce look. Lois paced the room agitated as Clark just watched her with a raised brow.

"Leave it to Clark Kent to get me all hot and bothered and then leave me hanging," she spat the words venomously and continued pacing.

"Actually," he dared to speak up. "I'm not the one who stopped anything—"

"Shut up!"

He closed his mouth immediately and smirked when his shirt hit his face.

"Put that back on."

"Lois," he drawled out and when she looked at him again she expected to see his adorable flustered face but instead she was on the receiving in of an arrogant sexy smirk.

_Uh oh. _

"What?" Lois asked warily, moving further away from him. It wasn't long before he had her backed against the wall. He placed a hand on the wall beside her head and, leaning on it, moved his body within inches of hers. She fell against her desk and grimaced as her thigh hit the sharp corner. Clark looked down to see if she was okay but didn't move away. Instead, he brought his other hand up and trailed a finger down her cheek.

"I missed you," he whispered and Lois froze, tightening her lips to keep them from trembling.

"Missed me?" she asked softly and swallowed as he softly kissed right under her jaw line.

"I miss you all of the times we're apart," he answered fervently, but she could detect the honesty in him as well.

"I l—" he began but stopped when Lois shook her head. She wasn't ready for him to say that. If he was going to say what she thought he might, she didn't want him to say it... not now. Not when those feelings might only exist because of red kryptonite that had surely gotten in his system somehow.

"Don't."

"But Lois—"

She pushed at his chest with both palms and once again distanced herself. He was just too much; the situation was just too much. And so she did what had always come easily to her.

She ran.

She had become an expert in running away from her feelings from him before. It had taken her years to admit that she was attracted to him, let alone in love with him. Now, this time was different, but she wasn't ready for him. When they weren't ready and certainly not when he was high on red kryptonite.

He called out to her, just as she knew he would, but she hadn't expected him to chase after her. For some reason, she hadn't expected the blur that was Clark to stop in front of her. He had used his powers, not caring that she saw, or anyone else for that matter.

_Not good. _

"Clark!"

"Now what?"

She heard the frustration in his voice and found it pretty amusing. He glared slightly when he noticed the twitch of her lips and frowned when she let out a chuckle.

"You can't just do that Clark," she told him firmly, and he stared at her blankly.

"You can't use your powers so blatantly or other people will see."

"I don't care if they do."

"Yes you do, and believe me you'll need to make sure that they don't."

"But—"

"I mean it, Buster!" Lois interjected, poking a finger into his chest.

"Ok."

"Ok? That's it? You're just going to give in?"

"Do you want me to argue with you?" He sounded exasperated and grabbed her arms gently.

"Well, no."

"Good," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her again. She didn't allow it and eyed him suspiciously. "Ok, hand over the Red K."

"Red K?"

"Red _kryptonite_ Clark. Don't look at me like I'm stupid."

"Alicia had it," he answered sourly when she moved out of his arms. She studied his face intently before looking for rings and necklaces, anything out of place that could have the glowing red rock on it.

"So where is it now?"

"I don't know."

Lois's brows furrowed. It looked as if he was telling the truth, but there was no way he would be affected like this unless he had it on him. _Or maybe she... that B—_

"Lois?"

"She kissed you right?"

"She tried but I don't really see the—

"Well, did you let her?"

"Of course I didn't!"

"So you tried to move away uncomfortably and her lips landed on your cheek right?"

He stared at her bewildered, which answered the question plenty. But it still didn't explain why the red kryptonite was affecting him so much. Even if Alicia had somehow made lipstick like she had worn once, Lois was pretty sure that she would have had to land a kiss on his lips.

She was distracted slightly when Clark gathered her into a hug.

_Oh boy, he is really affectionate right now. _

"Clark, I'm going to need you to stop that," she told him somewhat shakily. It felt amazing to have his arms around her, but she didn't want to do something she was going to regret. She didn't want to take advantage of this situation. To her amazement, he dropped his arms immediately and put some distance between them.

"Thanks," she said abruptly and winced as the clock tower started to chime. She was going to be late for sociology. In a room of over 200 people, one would think it was possible to sneak in quickly without anyone noticing. But her professor was the sort to notice everything and make a snide comment.

"What?"

"I'm going to be late for class."

"Where do you have to be?" he asked curiously with a glance around the campus.

"Across campus in Tenderich Hall room 306—that's the third floor if you couldn't guess. It's a pain in the butt to walk all the way over there and up those—"

_Oh God._

By the time she realized what was going on, she was in an empty hallway right by her classroom, and her backpack was on Clark's shoulder.

_Right…_

"Clark—"

"I looked around! No one saw me, I swear. Now, let's go to your class."

"_You _want to go to my class?"

"I just want to be with you, Lois."

Lois sighed, unable to argue with his statement. Allowing him to take her hand, they walked through the doorway as she muttered, "Sociology, here we come."

They hadn't been late to class, and Clark had been content to play with her hand for the first hour and a half of lecture. After the first initial snide comments from the professor towards the students showing up just on time, she relinquished the podium to a guest speaker. For a grouchy old woman, she sure had a lot of connections.

The guest speaker was an exotic dancer — retired. Her stage name, one of them, had been Lola. She was a big fan of Barry Manilow. She had been dancing since college, a way to pay the bills because school was expensive even back then. Now, at age 65, she was selling real estate with no plans of retiring, happily married with five children and 2 grandchildren. Apparently, she wouldn't change a thing.

The conversation was detailed, and after Clark stopped shifting uncomfortably, Lois suspected that he had tuned out the entire lecture. He couldn't have been listening to the last ten minutes at least, for he showed no reaction when 'Lola' explained some of the different clients she had and the strangest requests she had received. As he softly began tapping a finger on her palm in a particular rhythm, she furrowed her brows to try and pinpoint the beat. She shivered slightly when she realized that it was her heartbeat. The tapping had stopped instantly at her epiphany; he must have detected the increase in speed of the beat, for he casually stroked a finger up her wrist and to her elbow.

"Stop," she whispered, but he just smirked and repeated the motion back to her palm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his finger's path.

"Don't," Lois ordered firmly, not because she didn't like it, but because she wouldn't be able to control herself any longer if he kept it up. She jerked her arm away, causing him to pout pathetically. Lois crossed her arms immediately, not trusting him to take over her hand again. Clark shoved his hands into his jean pockets to sulk. Who would have thought that a Clark on Red K could be so adorably pathetic? Usually he was an arrogant son of a--

"Was that a question, Miss?" The ex-exotic dancer questioned towards them; it was more in the form of a comment.

"Lois, Lois Lane," Lois began, not embarrassed in the least as everyone turned towards her. She just barely managed to not add "Daily Planet: after her name, but she leaned forward intently. "I was wondering just how you got started dancing. Was it something that came easily to you? Quite frankly I think it would be a little awkward dancing with a pole."

_I know I wasn't all that comfortable when I did it,_ she added silently.

"That's a good question, Ms. Lane. Let me explain," the older woman smiled and began to speak again while demonstrating.

She still had the moves.

Lois was actually interested in woman but was distracted almost instantly by Clark. He had sunken further into his seat, a sight to see because his large frame was already taking up more than enough space. He moved his legs out, intruding in her space but she didn't complain, because he didn't really have enough room for them. What intrigued her the most, however, was how he warily looked over at her before quickly looking away and pulling his hands from his pockets. He was hiding something, she couldn't help but decide with a raised brow.

_What the hell…_

She hadn't searched his pockets; Lois berated herself but quickly funneled her anger towards the farm boy next to her. He had been acting like a puppy, following her around, coming to her class, carrying her bag. She had just assumed that he wouldn't lie.

And she had been too focused on _not _focusing on him that she had totally missed it!

_That son of a b—_

"Clark!" She bit out angrily, and he jumped slightly, startled by her tone. The auditorium seemed to go silent as well, and she just waved everyone off dismissively and stood up out of her seat.

"I'm really interested in hearing more from you, but Clark here just informed me that he left the stove on! We had better hurry, or the house could be burned to the ground—" She pushed him to walk down the aisle. "I know, I know, I'm worried too, but I'm sure everything will be ok, and I won't be homeless and follow in Lola's steps."

"You'd better hurry, dear," the kind woman responded with a smile. "I'll get your email address and phone number from your teacher so I can answer any more of your questions."

"Thanks."

As soon they were out of the classroom, Lois tugged him none too gently to the supply closet near by. She glared at him a moment with her hand held out, palm raised, as if expecting him to come clean.

"What?"

"You lied to me!"

"I didn't," he muttered but took a step towards her with a glint in his eyes. It was then that Lois realized that the close proximity of the closet probably wasn't a good idea. Clark smiled smugly when he saw her eyes widen and chuckled as she gulped when he leaned his body in against hers.

Lois Lane was not one to be taken control of, and it was time to make him aware of it. She reached around him to grasp at him from behind. He looked down at her quickly when she shrugged and tugged him closer. She narrowed her eyes when Clark groaned in encouragement but continued her quest to his pocket.

Nothing.

There wasn't any sort of rock shaped red thing in his pocket.

That didn't make any sense…

As she was about to remove her hand from his front pocket she furrowed her brow slightly at what she realized was a powdered substance. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What?" he asked obviously distracted.

"Why do you have powdered red kryptonite in your pocket Clark?" Lois said fiercely, removing her hand with a grimace and pinching together a sample of the substance between her fingers. It was definitely the red K.

"Alicia made me some sort of necklace."

"Ok…"

"But I don't love her. I—"

"And so you _demolished _it?"

"Yes."

"All right…but why did you put it in your pocket?"

"It made me feel good."

"You don't need this to feel good Clark."

"Sometimes I do."

"Take me to Smallville."

"What?"

"You know... all super-speed like."

"Why should I?"

"Well for one, you need a new pair of pants, preferably one that's pockets are not filled with crushed red kryptonite. And while I wouldn't mind it if you stripped down right here, I _would _mind all of Met-U checking out your goodies."

"My goodies?" He repeated with a large smile but let it slip when she only frowned back. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of the closet. He looked downright sexy but nowhere near ready to comply.

"I think it's really sexy when you do you super-speed thing," Lois told him slyly, and before she could blink, she was in his arms, and they were on their way to Smallville.

* * *

"I really don't understand how I get myself into these situations," Chloe muttered breathlessly as she shoved against the bumper of a pink Cadillac. "I should be in Math class right now. A nice warm room with four walls surrounded by people who charge their cell phones—" 

"Sorry," the brunette to her left grumbled, but Chloe ignored her and continued to push at the broken-down car. "You could have brought yours along," the young woman continued, just as frustrated with the situation.

"And when would I have had time to grab it? You lot basically kidnapped me!"

"Well, at least it's not raining," Red pointed out with a grim smile, exhaustion making it less of a smile and more of a grimace.

_But it _had _been raining,_ Chloe thought darkly. _Pouring, actually, for the past half hour._ She reached up with one hand to quickly wipe away the still-dripping-wet bangs out of her eyes in exasperation. She made sure that her expression was a pronounced glower so they knew they had something to fear. It was no wonder Lois was in Smallville every opportunity she got. No way could her cousin spend more time than necessary with her posse and not be driven crazy!

"We even _knew _it was going to rain!" exclaimed Blondie in a whiny pout as she began to wring out her hair and almost steered them into another ditch.

How she was nominated as the 'driver', Chloe couldn't determine.

"We _are _going to be weather girls, after all," Blondie commented off-handedly as she regained her footing and directed the car to the middle of the road.

_Right_, Chloe thought and imagined strangling her.

"Ok, once we get to this little hill up ahead we all are going to jump in—I'll drive and hopefully get it jump started."

Chloe prayed to God that it worked.

Almost two hours later, they arrived at Metropolis University, after hitching a ride in a truck that was carrying chickens. Wet, and covered in mud and feathers, the girls stared disbelievingly at Lois's closed door and then at the stolen cell phone. Chloe had been desperate, just having gotten off of the phone with that Alicia girl.

"Lois is in Smallville with Clark and apparently Alicia doesn't want to kill anyone," Chloe commented blankly.

"Well at least we got free eggs!" Blondie exclaimed, light-heartedly holding up the basket.

Red was just quick enough to catch Chloe's arms before she jumped her.

_This sucks.  
_

* * *

"Take off your pants," Lois announced once they stepped into the Kent farm kitchen. In less than a second, he was standing in front of her wearing a smile and nothing else. 

"Hoo kay. Whoa, there. Not that I don't enjoy this side of you, Clark, but I meant you should _hand _me the jeans and go put on another pair," she explained with a hand seemingly covering her eyes. When he hesitated and shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, she couldn't help but steal a glance.

Lois chuckled when Clark darted off, at normal speed, to cover up. "Damn." The oath was for many missed opportunities, but she had to get to work. Now was not the time to think about Clark naked and what she would prefer to be doing…

Now was not the time.

"I've got to get rid of these jeans of red K dust," Lois murmured, glancing around the kitchen.

The sink might work, but there was no way she could get those pants down the garbage disposal.

_Or could I?_

Before she could ruin Martha's plumbing, she heard the front door open.

"Lois?"

She whirled around, tossing Clark's pants into the sink and coming face-to-face with Lana Lang.

"What is this, Smallville High Ditch Day?" Lois complained, rolling her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Lana asked, with curiosity and amusement clearly lurking in her eyes.

"Oh, you know... farming."

"…Inside the house?"

"I'm taking a break."

"Right," Lana nodded, narrowing her eyes skeptically. She stood on her toes to try and see over Lois's shoulder and farther into the kitchen, but she was out-maneuvered when Lois made sure to stand up straight. Lana knew when she was beat, but she could have sworn she just saw Lois throw a pair of jeans into the sink…

"Did you need something?" Lois asked impatiently, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Where are the Kent's?" Lana countered.

_Where _are _the Kent's?_ Lois wondered inwardly but shrugged.

"Have you seen Clark?"

"Boy, have I," Lois mumbled and couldn't help but flush and let out an unsteady breath. At Lana's bemused look, she waved it off dismissively. "He went to change."

_And he had better not super-speed back in… take no chances._

"Clark! Lana's here!" She called out so suddenly that Lana jumped in surprise.

"Are you all right?"

"I couldn't be better."

"Ok, well... maybe you can walk with me outside. I'd really like to talk to you instead."

_That's different…_

"Sure."

Lana led the way out the kitchen door, and Lois threw a nervous glance over her shoulder. Clark better be off that red rock high soon, or he'll end up giving away his closely-guarded secret to the wrong girl.

"I'm worried about Alicia. I heard she was back in town," Lana began, and Lois had to hand it to the girl: she got straight to the point.

"She is, and she was after Clark last night. She basically scared him out of town. I'm just about to go looking for her, and when I find her I'll lay down the lay, you know... and let her know that it's not nice to scare farm boys."

"Mark your territory?" Lana asked with a smile, and Lois was surprised to note that it was indeed sincere. She kind of figured she'd have to beat Lana off with a stick at some point, but maybe she wouldn't need to do that.

"Not _territory_, per se."

Lana laughed, and Lois didn't explain further. In truth, she didn't really know the exact definition of the relationship, if it's a relationship at all. Sure, they spend a lot of time together, but it wasn't like they were an official couple. And, ok, so they acted like it. Lois believed that one needs to have the commitment talk before a commitment is made, and she wasn't too great at that talk.

"Lois?"

"Yeah?"

"You kind of drifted."

"Yeah, well... what else is there to do on a farm?" she quickly retorted, grimacing slightly at the young woman's amused exasperation.

"Besides farming, nothing comes to mind," Lana agreed and tried to catch up with Lois's long stride as they passed by the barn. "Be careful Lois; she won't be after me this time."

Before Lois could turn fully around to question her meaning, Lana fell to the ground. Dr. McBride stood over her unconscious form, lowering his weapon. Lois started forward in anger only to come to a sudden stop when he aimed the gun at her.

"I warned Alicia to stay away from Clark."

"Where is she?"

"She called me from her cell phone, hysterical, crying that maybe she wasn't better, that maybe she belonged back at Belle Reeve."

"Where you keep her imprisoned," Lois spat, understanding that this man, a doctor, who was supposed to be trusted, has been tormenting Alicia with half-truths. He wanted her for himself, only because he can't have her.

"Alicia is my greatest achievement. When she came to me, her mind was fractured and broken. I made her whole again."

"You're insane!"

"Lois!" Clark called out, running in her direction.

"Clark, don't!" she warned as McBride turned the weapon on Clark.

"Don't move!" he shouted with a nefarious smile, looking from Clark to Lois and then back again. "I see."

"What are you doing?" Clark called out desperately when once again the gun's barrel found Lois in its sight.

"To help Alicia, I had to understand her obsession, so I studied you. It wasn't hard. The sheriff's files are filled with your unexplained appearances at violent crime scenes. The classic earmarks of a troubled teen. Don't worry, they don't send kids like you to jail. They send them to me... at Belle Reeve."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to take away the person you treasure most, just as you have taken Alicia away from me!"

"No!"

Dr. McBride turned back to Clark and pulled the trigger. The bullet just missed his head.

"That was a warning. You will know pain, but it will be much greater than anything you could ever experience physically."

"Clark," Lois whispered, her voice hoarse as she met his eyes. She knew what he would do. He would save her, of this she was sure.

But at what cost?

The cost of his secret being revealed, the cost of his future.

Their future together.

The bullet shot out of the gun in slow motion, but before Clark could move in her direction, Alicia teleported in front of Lois. The bullet headed straight for her. Lois hadn't been prepared for her sudden appearance. The force of the bullet knocked Alicia backwards, and Lois could do nothing but catch her as she began to fall. Struggling to hold onto the wounded young woman, Lois watched Clark knock McBride unconscious in less than a second before dropping to his knees next to them.

"It hit her shoulder, Clark," Lois reassured him. "She'll be alright, but we have to get her to a doctor."

"Clark, I know I made a huge mistake. You're the only person who's ever really known me," Alicia began wincing in pain.

"Alicia—"

"Thank you for wanting to be my friend. I finally understand why we could never be anything more," she admited with a shaky smile. She turned her head to meet Lois's eyes.

"We should probably get to a hospital, don't you think?"

"Alicia, why'd you do that?" Clark couldn't help but ask.

"Because I knew that when it came to protecting Lois or compromising your secret, you'd always pick Lois; you love her, and I finally see that. I promised you that I'd always protect your secret. I promised."

The pain was too unbearable for her to remain conscious any longer, and so she closed her eyes.

* * *

"Alicia's going to be fine," Lois announced as she made her way into his fortress of solitude. There he stood, looking out at the world, always looking out. His loft, a place for him to deal with his inner demons, fight against his guilt, struggle to find himself. She mentally prepared herself for a talk of some kind. 

"I know."

"I think there was something going on with that bracelet of hers."

"What do you mean?"

"I checked it out. The guy that made it for McBride said that it had been tampered with. I figure that's why she went all crazy for you again. Not that I blame her, but McBride had also been pumping drugs into her system. When she stopped taking them, her body couldn't compensate for what it had been used to. She's clean now, and I got her another bracelet. This one will help her control her power and nothing else."

"Thanks."

"She saved my life."

He was silent for a few moments.

"Everything I touch is cursed. Everyone I care about gets hurt. I care about you too much to even chance it. I'm sorry Lois."

"What's that supposed to mean? 'I'm sorry Lois'?"

"I…"

"Give me a break Clark! Stop playing the martyr! Did it ever occur to you that I care for you too much to let you go?"

"Lois—"

"Well if it didn't, I do. I'm not letting you make my decision for me." He had done that before. "I'm sticking by your side. That's where I'll always be. But if you can't see that — if it hasn't occurred to you yet that that's where I belong — then I'll step back. I'll give you some time to get it through that thick skull of yours that you're stuck with me."

"Stuck with you? Lois I really don't think—"

"You're right you don't think. Or you think too much. I haven't decided which."

"Lois! Clark! I heard that Alicia got shot! Lois, did you try and-"

"Give me a break, Chlo. I didn't shoot her," Lois scoffed and gave Clark a look. Chloe was breathing heavily. "Did you run here or something?"

"Or something?! I've been trapped for almost two days with your posse!"

Lois thought that if situations were different, she would have been amused, but she couldn't find it in herself to laugh at that moment. She took Chloe's arm to steer her back down the loft stairs, casting Clark a sorrowful look before heading down.

"C'mon, you can tell me everything on the way to Met-U... I need a lift back." Lois sighed.

_When is he going realize that he isn't alone any more?_

* * *

_Leave me a review!! _


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